Whatever it Takes
by Wolves Silver Wind
Summary: One simple thought. One simple idea held strongly in everyone's hearts. A person willing to do whatever it takes, no matter what it may take, no matter the pain, no matter the consequences. Seven years fly by a lot differently, for better or for worse. But they refuse to have any regrets because they all understand. They know their bonds can withstand it all. *Seven Years Rewrite
1. For my Family

**Chapter One: For my Family**

**Authors Note: Seven Years rewrite. I'll take that down once I'm caught up, I think. It will be a little different, but still mildly similar, with *hopefully* better writing. Longer chapters. _And _all that jazz - let's GO!**

"Focus your magical energy on Freed!" Lisanna yells as Acnologia begins its breath attack. Mira then reaches her hand out to her younger sister, tears brimming in both of their eyes. With a burst of determination, Lisanna strongly grabs Mira's hand and everyone follows their example. They can feel their magic and bond thrumming through their hands as though they are one.

"We can't let it end here!" Natsu yells, gripping two hands. He squeezes just a bit too hard for a moment but Lucy doesn't mind it one bit. After all, she is squeezing his hand just as hard. In both a rush of adrenaline and fear, the group looks death right in the face. Determined to somehow live another day.

"Everyone, join your power together as one! LET'S SHOW IT THE BONDS OF OUR GUILD!" Gray shouts. Makarov takes Laxus' hand, tears in his eyes and a forced smile. Natsu looks up and sees the dragon already beginning to release the attack, _We won't make it_. They are all sharing glances with the people they grew up with, with people who's bonds have grown as thick as blood. For some, even thicker than blood.

"We'll all go home together." Makarov's voice wavers, but it's heard by everyone. They all look up and think of their common home, of Fairy Tail.

"Whatever it takes." Laxus adds as he gives his grandfather's hand a small squeeze. For him, it was coming home to fight a battle he wasn't sure he'd be accepted in. But if it was enough, he can only hope.

"Whatever it takes." Natsu echoes softly but the strength of the words is felt in all of their hearts. The pinkette bites his lip for a moment before his gaze hardens.

Lucy doesn't feel Natsu's hand ease her grip into Erza's, and neither does the scarlet mage. They're all too focused, their nerves numbed by the adrenaline and the pain, the magic thrumming through them all is hardly halted by the change.

Only when everyone sees the flash of orange blast up into the sky do the two realize that their palms don't feel the needed warmth. The circle all suddenly feels far colder than before and they watch the pinkette blast off in a surge of hidden power towards the forming attack.

"_Natsu!_" Everyone shouts for their friend, and a few of their cries sound strangled as if their throats are being torn, but they don't care. They only care about the departure of the family member that tends to bring them the comfort they need. Some of them try to pry their hands away, try to _help _or to _save _or do _something _because their idiotic, selfless, warm, big hearted dragon slayer brother took off. But they find that, for how stubborn they are, they are locked in each others grip by some unknown force.

He easily gets the dragon's attention and he puts all his energy into landing one small hit on the dragon's snout. It's hardly a flick to the large dragon, but even a flick can become an annoyance and the dragon snorts at the pinkette before flicking him out of the sky with a small hit of his tail. The Fairy Tail mages shout in despair and fear and more hate for the dragon above them before all they see is white.

**-x-**

Natsu opens his eyes, his body aching all over. He tries to move but it just _hurts_. He scrunches up his face in confusion, tossing and turning as the memories invade his mind and he bites his inner cheek. He blinks a few times until his eyes adjust to the brightness of the room. Scanning the room, he notices most of Fairy Tail inside. They are fidgeting, eyes going on and off of the pinkette in anxious fear.

He stays oddly silent for a moment as he scans the room and realizes he's in the guild. The guild's infirmary, a very familiar place to him but certainly not where he wants to be at that moment.

"What, how..." Natsu looks at everyone surrounding the bed, but Macao comes up between them. The air around him is serious and means business. "How'd I get here?" His voice is scratchy, so either parched, unused, or sore from overexertion. And Natsu honestly cannot pinpoint which one it is.

"Doranbalt, Mest, I don't _care_ about his name." Macao spits out venomously and he snarls at the man's existence. Natsu is taken aback at first by the sudden animosity but then takes a moment to remember his encounters with the man on Tenrou. Macao pauses for a moment and gives a strong exhale before softening his features. "He brought you here on his ship when they saw you floating in the water while searching the area." Natsu ignores what them searching the area may mean and focuses on what he might want to know at the moment.

"When?"

"Three days ago." Natsu closes his eyes slowly and pinches them shut as he feels wetness form behind them. He turns his head away from everyone and opens his eyes.

"And...?" He knows he doesn't need to finish and from his peripheral he sees Macao shake his head. A loud sniffle comes from the Fairy Tail group and their previous happiness seems to audibly deflate as many more sniffles join, a few dry sobs and many others try and fail to cry silently. Again Natsu closes his eyes but it doesn't help, he can hear it, he can smell it. He knows. He _knows_. And he finds that it just _hurts_. Slowly the group shuffles out of the room but Natsu knows Macao had stayed. He turns back to face Romeo's father and ignores the grim look in the dark eyes. "What happened?" Natsu can see that Macao is trying his hardest not to break down, he's trying to stay strong for the pinkette and Natsu finds it ironic since he's doing the same thing for the older man.

"You would know better than me." He says honestly before stifling a mournful sigh. "But, they're dead." Natsu bites his trembling lip as he sees the question in Macao's eyes.

"Acnologia attacked." Macao doesn't speak but Natsu can hear the shuffling from outside the infirmary and the pinkette knows he has to continue. "They protected the island with a spell, I'm almost positive, but I..." The pinkette breathes and shakily exhales. "Acnologia's attack was gonna hit. Whatever we were doing, it wasn't gonna be fast enough. So I distracted him." He ignores the gasp from behind the door and Macao's shocked look. "But they're alive."

"They are?" Macao jumps and the door creaks under the pressure of the other shocked mages. "How can they be alive?" He doesn't mean to sound rude, but his world has been turned around too many times in three days for it to happen _again_. Not _again_. He can't take any false hope right now, no one can.

"I have faith that the spell worked." Macao doesn't respond and the sag against the door doesn't go unnoticed by the pinkette.

"Faith? You have _faith _that this spell that might have happened worked?" Macao bites but the hurt and sadness that flashes in Natsu's eyes makes the old man choke back the anger he had wrongly thrown towards the pinkette. "I trust you, but come on Natsu."

"_They're alive_." Natsu growls at the older man and his eyes flash in a way Macao had hardly ever seen. Macao gulps back any retort as fear sparks in him.

"I know it's hard to believe, but they're gone." He says softer this time. "We should just go our separate ways and-"

"Do _NOT_ finish that." Natsu shouts and sits up in his bed, for all the pain it causes him none is greater than the pain of what he is hearing. "Don't even think it. Just _stop thinking _and_ listen, dammit! _How can you give up on this? On the guild?! Over something like this?"

"It's not just something _like this_, Natsu." Macao tries to stay calm. "They're dead. We're done for."

"We are _not_, we are _not _done for!" The pinkette swings his legs from the bed and forces himself to stand.

"Natsu-"

"No." He growls and Macao stops heading towards him. "You can all give up but I won't. And I will stay here _every single day _for the rest of my _life_ if I have to. By _myself _if I _have_ to because this is my _home_ and I will wait for my family to come home." His fist is clenched and his legs are shaking but he still stands strong. The door then softly creaks open and Romeo timidly yet with an odd confidence walks in.

"I'm staying too." He states strongly. Natsu smiles at the boy and Macao just shakes his head.

"Me too." The door finishes opening and they're all standing there with tears in their eyes.

"We're all staying with you." Natsu smiles at the group before collapsing back on the bed.

"Good." Because even if he was willing to stay by himself, he knew that it would hurt. He couldn't imagine being alone without the family he has come to love so much.

"Since we're staying here for you..." Romeo walks up to the pinkette and Natsu props himself up on his elbows.

"Huh?"

"You should be our Guild Master." The young boy finishes and Natsu laughs as he falls back down.

"No, no I can't do that. Gramps'll be back."

"Then you're our temporary Guild Master!" Romeo continues as no one disagrees with him.

"Choose someone better, Romeo. Really. Me?" Natsu scoffs and covers his eyes with his hand.

"How about some _requirements_." Macao then says and sends the group a knowing look that Natsu misses.

"We need someone who will protect the guild no matter what." Bisca then says and in her smile is a small chuckle. They want requirements, they'll find the best ones they could ask for.

"Who can always bring us up when we're down." Alzack adds as he nudges Bisca's side.

"Who never gives up." Wakaba says knowingly and everyone seems to join in on the inside joke Natsu doesn't quite catch. They will find requirements that only one person in their guild will fit.

"Well, Natsu, seems you're out _temporary _Guild Master." Macao says and Natsu sits up in shock. He winces as the fast movement gives him a headache but he quickly recovers.

"Me? I just said _not _me!"

"You're the best person for the job." He retorts and Natsu sheepishly scans the group.

"I'm young and stupid."

"Don't need to tell _us _that."

"I'll mess up."

"We expect nothing less." Wakaba says with a smirk.

"I'll make bad calls."

"We all do." Macao nods.

"I have no idea what to do."

"We'll all help." Natsu then scans his family and smiles. "So, what's the plan?" He sits silent for a moment and scans the group of mages. He can see the spark of hope in their eyes, the hope that he's right. And he realizes he needs to be strong and sure.

"I think we should have a small break?" He says with creased brows. "It still hurts, for them to be gone even if they are alive." He doesn't see the look they all send each other. "So go off and 'train' but come back with something." He then sends them all his blinding smile. "But tonight, we party!"

They party Fairy Tail style but Natsu doesn't join in as much as he might have in the past. He mostly watches and appreciates Fairy Tail for its wild genuineness.

Macao watches the pinkette from across the guild. _Maybe Natsu wasn't such a bad pick for master... _Macao looks at the person he's supposed to advise, sitting at the bar and overlooking his guild.

"Shit." He drops his head on the bar in sadness. _Or maybe he was. _Macao chuckles at the sight.

_**Year x791**_

"According to Blue Pegasus, the readings were in this area..." Warren looks out onto the vast sea, searching for the lost island. Natsu looks at his guild member before scanning the ocean. He can practically picture the island he had boarded a mere seven years ago. He walks around the ship, searching for anything that might be different.

"Is it really around here?" Bisca asks, searching with binoculars.

"There's nothing to see..."

"It's here." Natsu says and squints to see past the reflection off the water.

"We trust you, Natsu." Droy says, standing on the boats tip, showing off his muscles to whoever will see.

"Stop it, Droy..." Jet looks away from him with a sigh.

"We shouldn't get our hopes up, it's been 7 years. The island may be there but they might not be alive." Warren nods his head, agreeing with himself.

"They're alive." Natsu states gruffly and Warren jumps. He knows Natsu's hearing is good, better than good, but from across a moving ship?

"We're gonna see Levy again!" Jet and Droy shout behind them.

"So noisy!" Max turns from the map to yell at the two S-class mages.

"Hey, look!" Bisca yells, getting their attention.

"What...Is that?" They see a figure above the water.

"A person?" They get closer and have a clear view. It's a young girl?

"She's standing on the ocean!" Jet points out. Natsu runs to the tip of the ship and sees the white child.

"Who is it?" Alzack questions, staring in disbelief at the girl. Moving her arms, the girl smiles and the water behind her bulges. Out comes a large marble-like sphere with a wing design and the Fairy Tail mark on it.

"TENROU ISLAND!" Warren and Max shout out in shock. The girl flies towards and onto the island that was encased in the sphere. Natsu stands in shock for a moment before a wide smile spreads across his face. He knew it, he _knew it_!

"Follow her!"

"Wait up!"

"WAIT!" They scream but she doesn't answer but rather goes closer to the islands center. Natsu jumps from the ship and uses his fire to propel him towards the island.

"Natsu!" They face-palm at the pinkette.

"He'll lead us to everyone!" Alzack states as they run after him and the girl, Jet nods to Droy before blasting off for the girl. Stopping, Jet is soon joined by the others as they come across Natsu standing at the top of a rock slide. He's frozen, staring at their buried friends.

"G-guys..." Alzack's voice wavers, Bisca holds her hand to her mouth, shaking. Natsu watches them before heading deeper into the group, accounting for everyone.

"Gray! Get up! Get a hold of yourself!" Jet and Droy shake the unconscious mage.

"SHADDUP!" He sits up in anger.

"GRAY!" The two men tackle him in a hug which confuses him even more.

"Jet? Droy!" He turns,"You look different!" He points at them, not believing his eyes. "We just got hit by Acnologia's attack and Natsu... Where is he? Where's everyone!" He shouts and grabs Jets shoulders.

"Right here." The girl appears again and a smile is clear on her face. Natsu then turns to face her and spots the last person, Gramps, buried right by her. They watch the dust settle as she lands, all wondering just who she is but understanding that she is not a foe. "My name is Mavis," she turns with a smile, "Fairy Tail's first master, Mavis Vermillion."

"What?" They stare in complete shock, then see everyone else finally begin to wake up. Jet and Droy immediately go to Levy. Bisca and Alzack to Erza and unsuspecting Juvia. Warren and Max tackle the old master who sheds anime tears in their embrace. Natsu watches the reunions with a graceful smile.

"Back then, I took all of your bonds and strength and converted it all into magical power. Your collective powers allowed for Fairy Sphere to be activated. An absolute defense magic." Mavis explains as everyone holds their reunions. "However, it's price is time and you were sealed for seven years." The older members nod, having known the words for quite some time. Natsu chokes back a laugh as he realizes he was right. _He was right_.

"The first protected us..." Tears spring from the Master's eyes as he speaks.

"I just focused the energy you offered. Your unwavering faith made you open to my help." She floats up, and begins disappearing. "It's become a wonderful guild, Third. Fourth." She then offers a knowing look and a nod to Natsu before a golden light flashes and she vanishes, leaving the stunned guild members.

"Seven years..." Makarov turns to Jet, "And Fourth master?" He looks to the pinkette and his eyes bulge from his head. "_Natsu!_" He gasps and they all get the chance to see the changed pinkette. He generally looks the same which is one of the key reasons they can actually recognize him. But the closed vest and thick black gloves are an added touch.

"Natsu?" Lucy asks and the pinkette nods to them with a smile that stretches out the scar running from his right temple to his lip. Suddenly Lucy launches a kick right at him and sends him flying into a nearby tree.

"Lucy!?" They all shout in shock but she just huffs in place.

"Ah - Natsu!" Bisca cries out and is quick to race to Natsu, Alzack not far behind her. Warren and Wakaba watch from a distance but their grimace is clear.

"How dare you! Flying off like that, you, you-!" She marches up to him and Bisca backs away from the pinkette. The key mage hardly glances at the gunner before kneeling beside the pinkette and hugging him. "Dammit, you scared us!" He pats her back and they then stand up.

"Glad you're all back!" He says with a cheeky grin and they smile back at the missed pinkette. "Let's head home already!" They all agree but keep sending the pinkette disbelieving looks all the way. Makarov walks up to Natsu but after a moment decides to say nothing. "The guild's still functioning, somehow."

"He's being humble, though I don't know why." Alzack says with a shake of his head. "We're thriving. We're number one." He says with a smile although the Tenrou group hardly reacts. After all, they had never imagined a scenario where Fairy Tail would have lost it's peak position.

The group boards the boat and almost immediately the Tenrou dragon slayers keel over in pain. Natsu looks at them in pity before heading towards the center of the ship.

"No motion sickness?" Erza asks the pinkette who sends her a small smile.

"Ah, no I still have it." He says with a sigh before collapsing on a nearby chair. Lucy takes the chance to walk over to him and takes the chair beside him.

"Has it really been seven years?" The pinkette nods and she plops her head in her hands. Natsu looks to her for a moment, sadness clear in his eyes but she doesn't see it. For a moment, Natsu isn't sure how to respond and he realizes the odd gap that has formed between him and his closest friends.

"Don't worry, Luce." he finally says with a smile. "I don't think _too _much has changed."

"But what has? What have we missed?"

"How the hell did you become guild master?" Gray asks and Natsu can't say he wasn't expecting it.

"Was _not _my fault. I didn't want it." Natsu then flicks his eyes over Gray's shoulder. "Gramps! Do you want to be Guild Master again!"

"NOPE!" Makarov seems almost _too _happy to leave the role to the pinkette. Natsu then sighs and crosses his arms.

"I swear, the only people who _want _to be guild master are the people who _aren't_."

"If you want, I can do it for a day." Erza states and Natsu can't help but openly laugh at her. He doesn't mean to, and the twitch of her brow doesn't go unnoticed by Lucy or Gray. He bends over at the waist and holds his stomach as his body convulses at the mere _thought _of seeing Erza handle all that _paperwork _nevermind the members! "You think I can't do it?" Her voice comes out in a clear growl, a menacing and foreboding sound that makes Lucy and Gray take a few steps back.

"Oh, _oh_." Natsu freezes and visibly gulps down his fear. "No, wait, Erza, I don't-"

"You believe me incapable?"

"Erza, you know I don't mean it like that!" Natsu smiles as the words come out, but there is no fear in him and Erza can clearly see that. The lack of the look that was once so familiar on Natsu catches her off guard and she can't help but just stare at him.

"It really has been seven years." It's more of a statement than a question and Natsu understands the underlying meaning. It's hard to believe, probably as hard to believe for them as it is for the guild to believe the group will come back.

But it's all true. They're back and alive and they missed seven years.

"Hard to believe."

"You're telling _me_." Gray sighs as him and Lucy both slowly creep back to form the group.

"Now that you're back, I can honestly say I doubted this would happen!" He says in a laugh but the wording catches them off-guard.

"What do you mean?"

"_Eh!_" Jet and Droy shriek from nearby. After all, the Tenrou group sat near each other with Natsu only a slight distance away. Through their own separate conversations, they had also been eavesdropping on the pinkette. More so because they were worried he wouldn't calm Erza down, but also out of curiosity. Natsu turns to look at the duo and sheepishly scratches the back of his neck.

"Well, I wasn't sure."

"What do you mean you weren't _sure!_"

"You're the only person who was sure!" Jet and Droy seem almost too connected.

"Romeo never doubted Natsu." Warren states and they all look to the previously silent mage.

"So you're saying he was the only person who really believed? Then you did a damn good job of fooling us all." Warren adds on with a small chuckle.

"That was the point." Natsu admits with a chuckle and leans back in the chair. "You can't convince people if they get a whiff of your own doubt."

"Damn, Natsu, when'd you get so smart?" Gajeel cracks and the rest of the group mildly joins in.

"Only took me six, seven years!" He joins in and it helps the laughter and light mood continue. Few people read between the lines, and Natsu knows that fact. When his closest friends disappeared, Natsu had to adjust to the fact that no one knew how to read him. Now they're back and, as he scans the group and sees little to no realization, he realizes that he's changed.

It hurts, but he doesn't admit it. He doesn't want them to understand that he had been a cocky child. Cocky and stubborn stuck in his own blind faith. Yet, as the years passed, he got wiser. And six years later he began to doubt himself, something he had never done prior. They were so close to the Tenrou group returning and he knew that if that island didn't come up… well, he thought up too many horrid outcomes to count. None of them ended with him being the guild master. A few even with him leaving the guild.

Yet no one caught on. And even now, he isn't sure they have.

The rest of the journey remains light, with joking about the past and the future, but few want to talk about the present. It's a fact they all realize but none acknowledge. They just want to enjoy their time with their family, Mavis knows they missed a lot, almost _too _much. On the way to the guild, many of the members who recall seven years prior when they would be recognized on the spot, are almost grateful that no one stops the group. _Almost_. But, in another way, they miss it.

"We're back!" Droy yells, walking into the guild hall.

"Taking it from me." Natsu grumbles as he then steps in and gets a far better response then Droy had. The guild erupts in happiness for the pinkette.

"Is he really…?" Gray says under his breath to Lucy and she hesitantly nods.

"This must have cost a fortune!" Makarov blanches at the sheer size of the guild. The layout is exactly the same (he chalks that up to Natsu and his love for the past. He can almost see that young child staring in awe at the building, recalling how it was almost as big as Igneel ), but the amount of people in it explains the enlargement.

"Hey!"

"Welcome back!" People shout greetings but the hall is soon filled with silence as they realize the extra company.

"YOU'RE BACK!" The long-lost guild members are soon tackled by their friends, tears shed as they greet. Alzack scoops his daughter up as Natsu and the Tenrou group are surrounded.

"What are we waiting for?" The pinkette shouts over the guild, a bright smile on his face. "Let's party!" Everyone yells in excitement of the guild members return and they start celebrating. Many of the people from Tenrou crowd Bisca and Alzack, wanting answers about their child Asuka.

"So... are you the guild master?" Makarov sits next to Macao who bursts out laughing at the statement.

"You know I'm not. Are you in denial?" He takes a gulp of his beer.

"I think I am." Gramps states as they both look over to the pinkette.

"Salamander, how strong are you _really_." Gajeel prods like the dragon slayer he is.

"Way stronger than all of us." A blond eccentric boy butts in and they can't help but see the similarity between him and the younger Natsu.

"Sting, stop it."

"You're a Wizard Saint." The mage says with a telling look and the information floors the surrounding people.

"And surprisingly I deal less damage than you and Rogue on your last mission. Want to explain that?" He raises a brow but Sting just crosses his arms. All the while, the floored members don't understand how the conversation is flowing so casually.

"You know you don't _really _care about that, Master." Natsu then places a hand on the young man's head, messes with his hair and slightly pushes the boy away before heading to the bar.

"Ah, you're right."

"FIGHT ME!" Gajeel and Gray then eagerly shout as they race after Natsu. The pinkette jumps slightly in shock at their ferocity before gaining a sheepish smile.

"Now?"

"Yes." Gray says with a fire in his eyes. He refuses to believe his rival has completely surpassed him.

"You guys just got out of Fairy Sphere. It takes time for you to get back to full power." He states with a wave of his hand as he finally sits at the bar. "The usual, please." He asks and the barmaid nods before preparing his drink.

"And how would you know that." Gray prods as Natsu receives his drink. He looks at the ice mage for a moment before sighing and taking a sip of the fire whiskey.

"Wow, you didn't tell them anything." Macao comments with a hum. Natsu then turns to fully face the bar and basically gives Macao the okay to take over. They look from the pinkette to the older man who just sighs. "Where do I start..."

"From the beginning." Erza states as she comes up and stares intensely at the mage. The older man sighs again as he realizes he has to get used to Erza _again_.

"He was brought to the guild by-"

"Not the _very _beginning." Natsu inputs as he finishes off his drink.

"Fine, fine." Macao then sighs and begins the story where Natsu is okay with it.

_**Past**_

"So, Master Natsu." I walk up to him as he lays his head on the counter.

"Hmm? Call me Natsu..." He moans in reply, still depressed about something.

"What spell is keeping them alive?"

"Fairy Sphere." He mumbles.

_**Present**_

"Fairy Sphere?! And this was only days later? How'd he know?" Lucy butts in, there's no way he knew so soon.

"I was getting to that..." he mumbles in irritation.

"Sorry..."

_**Past**_

"What's Fairy Sphere?"

"I... don't know."

"Then how do you know it saved them?" We want to believe they're alive, we want them to be alive and to just trust Natsu, but we all have our doubts.

"I have faith." Natsu looks up at me. "It's about time I find out."

"What?" I watch Natsu get up, stretch, then head for the guild library. I know that the loss is hard, especially for Natsu. After all, his entire generation is gone. But the sooner he realizes they're gone, the better it will be.

"I'm gonna research." he replies and then openly laughs at himself. "No one will ever believe I said that!" He then turns around. "Keep an eye on things for me, but I wanna know if anyone's headed off for a while."

"Okay Natsu." I can only watch, stunned by how... mature he's acting. For how much he doubted he could even be a mediocre guild master, he's already better than mediocre.

He's constantly in the library and only comes up for food or to send people off. The members that attempted to just wallow in misery, the ones that lost all faith that the others would return, had to face Natsu and his odd quiet anger. Droy was drowning himself in food, a few days later Natsu noticed it.

All his attention was then focused on the weight-gainer. He put off a week of research to help him, and once that was done he forced Jet and Droy out of the guild, not to come back for at least a month. They were gone for almost a year and came back looking far different and much better.

After a month of being in the library, Natsu runs up into the guild with excitement radiating off his features.

"GUYS! I have it!" He screams to the empty hall. The only ones left are Max, Wakaba, Reedus, Nab and me.

"What is it?" Wakaba sees the excited boy.

"I need a scale map of Tenrou Island! ASAP!"

"Yes sir!" Nab gets up and rushes into the library for what was asked for. The rest of us just watch Natsu clear a table, confused on why he needed a scale map, and honestly some of us are not convinced he entirely knows what that means. When he lays the retrieved map on the table he suddenly plops on top of it a large book which he then flips through to find a specific page.

"What is it?" I walk up, stunned at his happiness.

"Fairy Sphere," he looks up at me and then I see the bags under his eyes. _He must've gotten little to no sleep_. "It's one of the three Great Fairy Magics, like-like Fairy Law. But it's defensive. Now..." He began measuring the size of the island, and after some time of us all just watching him do calculations we didn't know his mind was capable of, he draws a large circle around the island.

"What is that?" Max asks as he points at the sphere.

"The size of it. And the, uh, consequence of this magic is time, so..." He measures the circumference of the barrier and a few other things before sitting down with a wide-eyed look on his face.

"What is it?" I ask him, apparently taking him out of his daze.

"They'll be back in seven years..." He then smiles one of the happiest smiles I've ever seen on him, just a genuinely small but thankful smile. "Thank Mavis."

"Are you sure?" Reedus asks and Natsu nods.

"Positive."

_**Present**_

"If I was master, I would've just lead us to rock-bottom." Macao admits, recalling when he had been so close to just giving up.

"Don't say that, Macao." Natsu lightly scolds as he turns back to face the group. "Weird to hear your side of the story." The pinkette admits with a nod. He hadn't known Macao had felt that way.

"You never answered the question." Lucy asks,"How did you know it was Fairy Sphere?"

"I heard someone cast it." Natsu says offhandedly. "Must've been Mavis."

"What luck."

"Is the guild as destructive as before?" Makarov then asks and they all look to Natsu and Macao in mild concern. Natsu doesn't respond and just spins to slam his forehead on the bar counter. They all sweatdrop at the comical response as Natsu mourns over the lost jewels.

"It's worse." Macao translates for Natsu and they all sweatdrop.

"We have two of me." Natsu's voice is muffled in the counter.

"I doubt that." Makarov states as he takes a gulp of his beer.

"No, he's right." Macao states and nods over to the two boys that Gray vaguely remembers the names of. "Sting and Rogue, they're dragon slayers." Although the extra information is nice for the group, they had figured the two were slayers considering the two odd exceeds that are loyally by their friends.

"Okay fire breath, are we gonna fight?" Gray says and Natsu picks his head up from his depression.

"Yeah Salamander. There's no way you're a Wizard Saint." Gajeel adds as he crosses his arms.

"I already told you, not now." He says with a heavy sigh. "Hey, Gramps." Makarov turns his full attention to the pinkette which takes a moment considering the growing blush on his cheeks. "_Please _take the guild back?" He says and raises his third or fourth drink up. Makarov looks at the pinkette for a moment before clinking his beer glass against Natsu's.

"No means no, son!" He smiles before chugging down the rest of his drink.

"I tried..."

"Keep it! You're doing well, you're its master." He says and Natsu smirks at the old man.

**Authors Note: Based on the butterfly effect of Acnologia's firing happening just a **_**tad **_**faster than it actually did. Even one second can make a huge difference. Thank you for rereading if you are, and thanks new readers! Reviews are much appreciated. Til next time, see ya!**


	2. We'll Win This

**Chapter Two: We'll Win This (Dattebay-okay, okay! I know, wrong anime)**

**Authors Note: I like puns and I've been re-watching Naruto. Sorry not sorry. Let's GO!**

The party lasts all day and all night and well into the next morning. Kinana and Mira work on waking people up as the day begins and they realize that they don't want to clean up after everyone.

"Master?" Kinana says softly as she approaches the form of a sleeping Natsu underneath a table. She bends down and shakes his shoulder to no avail. Gray, who had already been woken up, gains a smirk upon seeing his sleeping rival. Happy seems to be right there with him and hands the ice mage a black marker from within his green sack. Kinana watches mortified as they take their time to draw on the pinkettes face as the dragon slayer had done to them in the past. Beside Kinana, Mira just snickers at their antics before adding her own suggestions on what to be drawn. They finish before anyone who would stop them wakes up and Happy is quick to dispose of any evidence.

"Guys..." Lucy gasps once she sees it and immediately looks to her team. Happy looks away in an obvious show of trying not to seem guilty but Gray just crosses his arms. The bland look on his face doesn't give him away at all.

"Luce?" Natsu groans as he wakes up at a surprisingly early time compared to his younger self. The trio jump back from him as he rubs one eye and the other onyx stares at them. "Luce!" He shouts for joy and jumps up. Only for the table to get in his way and he slams his forehead on the bottom of it. The bang awakens the nearby members alongside the thud of his head hitting the ground. "Oww..." He whines as he rubs the reddening spot on his forehead.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asks with a wince as she bends down to his level. He cracks open an eye and nods mutely. She smiles at him but the snickering form of Happy catches his attention. He cocks his head to one side and slowly sits up. This time, he's careful to avoid the table as he gets out from under it.

"Hey bud!" He says with a smile and then the blue cat openly laughs out loud. As other members wake up and see their master, they all go between anger, mortification, and openly laughing at the confused pinkette.

"Who has done this to you!" Erza growls when she sees her friend. Natsu raises a brow in confusion before looking at his hand to see a dark smudge on it. He wipes at his eye and his hand comes away with more black ink.

"Here." Lucy says and her half smile gives away that even she's amused by the situation. Mira from behind the bar chuckles as she whispers to the other guild members the truth. Natsu gladly takes the mirror and braces himself for what he knows he's going to see. A smudged monocle, mustache, and all sorts of silliness that he knows Happy is the root of. He twitches for a moment and slowly passes Lucy her mirror.

"I'll give you two ten seconds."

"How do you know it was us?" Gray says with a smug grin but after a moment he realizes he incriminated himself.

"One."

"It was all Gray!" Happy shouts and points to the ice mage with a fluffy finger.

"_Two._" Natsu continues seamlessly and Happy hesitates for a moment, looking between Gray and Natsu, before speeding for the door.

"Three." Gray foolishly stands his ground with a scoff and Natsu looks up, the laughter in his eyes clear as he sees Happy frantic over finding a hiding spot behind the bar, a hiding spot Mira seems adamant to deny.

"Mira, please!"

"Now now, Happy." She says sweetly but the aura around her betrays her sweet smile. Natsu chuckles at the exceeds plight and joins the laughter of the guild at his own plight. He looks to Gray with mirth in his eyes.

"I didn't think I was still _that _much of a deep sleeper." Once Gray is sure that he is out of the clear, which confuses him because the Natsu he knows wouldn't just brush this off, he offers his own smile.

"It'd be weird if you weren't." He admits and Natsu just laughs as he continues wiping his face. Natsu scans his hungover guild with a sigh at the damages.

"Everyone's helping to clean _this _up." He states and there are immediate groans of protest. "_Or _you can all pitch in to pay for your damages." That seems to wake a lot of them up and then slowly shove the tables near them to _roughly _put them where they need to go. The sober people laugh at the plight of their friends who just can't function. They seem to just roll around in their attempt to seem like they're cleaning when in reality they are causing more damage than it's worth.

"Should someone stop them?" Lucy asks as she sees someone try to bring a glass to the bar but drop it partyway and it breaks on the ground. Natsu just shakes his head before sighing.

"They'll clean it up eventually." He states and walks to the bar. "Hey, Mira." He flashes her a bright smile and the sight of it warms her heart.

"You scared us when you flew off like that." She says as she cleans a returned glass. The pinkette thinks on her words for a moment, confusion clear on his face.

"Uh..."

"Back on Tenrou."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry?" She eyes him but accepts his confused apology. They both know he isn't really sorry so she doesn't pressure him.

"How did you become master?" She asks and he takes a seat at the counter.

"I don't really know." He admits. "I blame Romeo." He admits and she passes him a water. The thanks her with a smile before gladly sipping at it.

"You still have the mustache." She giggles as she happily prances away and Natsu watches her go with a smile before attending to the remaining face mark. The guild slowly comes back to life and is cleaned up by sobering drunks. They begin picking jobs and the Tenrou group stands around, conversing with missed people. The continuous traffic through the doors makes their opening a common and undisturbed occurrence, however when they open and the large figure of a male comes in, everyone immediately notices something off about him.

His intense aura is unmistakable for many, and for the Tenrou group he feels like a threat that they are immediately prepared to face. They weren't potential S-Class mages without reason.

Natsu doesn't stop his conversation with some guild member and just continues until finished, but the man doesn't care and he confidently walks towards the pinkette. He stands behind Natsu, his looming form and his white eyes flash a bright red shade. Natsu only moves once the man's shadow completely overtakes him and the person he is talking with suddenly becomes frozen in fear.

"I'm surprised you're willing to come into my guild, Jiemma."

"I hardly count this as a guild." The man growls and it immediately grates on everyone's nerves.

"Who is he?" Lucy whispers as she silently shakes more in anger than fear.

"Jiemma, Sabertooth's guild master." A new member responds under his breath.

"It's a den of flies," the man spits in Natsu's face, "and you're the rotten meat attracting it." Natsu hardly responds and his gaze sharpens on the larger man.

"So, _kitty_, what do you want?" He sneers and Jiemma's murderous intent only grows which puts everyone on edge.

"I wanted to inform you of a few things." He says through clenched teeth and Natsu tilts his head.

"For being flies under your feet, you sure are being nice to us." Natsu isn't taunting the man, not as much as he could be and not directly, but all the same Jiemma's face seems to get redder.

"We will be taking back the title of the strongest guild in Fiore." He states and Makarov is oddly reminded of Jose and Phantom Lord. Seems Sabertooth is a new enemy they will have to overcome. Natsu just raises a brow but allows for the man to continue. "And second." He then smiles a devilish and unwanted grin that sends shivers down the spines of weaker willed people, "is _I _will beat you this year." Natsu creases his brow in confusion at the odd wording which just makes Jiemma's smile grow. Natsu then grins back at the man.

"Can't wait." Jiemma then turns around after having said his piece. "But," the large man freezes, "if you think you will beat us, you're dead wrong." Jiemma looks over his shoulder and sends Natsu one final glare.

"You'll see."

"In three months, you'll be taking that back." Natsu says with a shrug. "See ya." But the threat in his words is there as they are sharp and clear. _Get out_. The jovial personality Natsu is known for becomes replaced by a hardened glare but Jiemma seems unaffected as he slowly walks out of the guild. As he passes the defiant Sting and Rogue, he sends them their own glare but they stubbornly stand their ground. They had seen worse than him. Far worse.

Once the doors close behind him, they all feel the relief flood in at his absence. Many of the members turn to reassure and comfort each other after the man had left, while Sting stands in place and fumes over the man.

"How can you let him badmouth Fairy Tail like that!" Romeo screeches from his father's side. Natsu's smile turns into a thin line but his clenched fists give him away. The vein twitching on his forehead is a clear sign of his anger.

"Let him." He finally says. "He's all talk. Actions speak louder than words." Natsu states as he crosses his arms. Steam begins to rise from his shoulders which sets everyone on edge, especially as his magic leaks alongside it.

"What's in three months?" Wendy timidly asks and tries to slightly change the subject. Natsu's angry aura leaves him as he stares at the bluette and smiles.

"The Grand Magic Games. A tournament that decides who's the best guild in Fiore." He states and looks to the Tenrou group.

"We've been reigning champions for six years." Sting then jumps in and heads towards the pinkette. His anger has not quite dissipated but he's calmed down enough.

"And I've just decided our teams." Natsu says with a grin. "Of course, Gildarts, then Laxus, Erza, Gray, Gajeel, and Juvia as a reserve." He laugh maniacally at the set up that ensures a clear and dominating victory. "The second team will have-"

"I refuse." Gildarts says with a sheepish raise of his hand.

"What?" Cana blanches from his side.

"Don't tell me you're headed off." Natsu says with a sigh as the older man nods. "Fine. Then it's… Erza, Gray, Elfman, Lucy, and Jellal." Lucy looks to the ground, oddly bothered by the fact that she wasn't initially on the team, and also by her lack of faith in herself.

"Jellal?" Erza asks and Team Natsu looks to the pinkette in confusion.

"Yeah. He's a guild member now!" Natsu says with a cheeky grin and she smiles at the pinkette. It seems they did beat the magic council in that regard. "The second team will be Laxus, Gajeel, Sting, Rogue, and Mira." Many people in the guild groan in silent objection but few are willing to voice their disagreeing. Many of them understand their master, and those who don't understand him just trust their master too much to have a strong dissenting opinion.

"A team of dragon slayers, huh." Sting says with a smirk towards his new teammates. They all also have their own smirks and from behind the bar Mira feels the excitement.

"You have three months to prepare. And Tenrou group, you really need to catch up." Natsu states but Gray just growls.

"Fight me, I'll show you I'm still good enough." Gray states with a strong resolve. Natsu looks at the man for a moment, cogs turning in his head.

"Hey Max," Natsu says with a hidden smirk, "wanna fight Gray?" Max looks between Natsu and Gray for a moment. He remembers those seven years ago when he was no match for either of them. But, if Natsu believes it will be alright, then his decision is set.

"Sure." Gray rolls his eyes at that and looks to Natsu.

"Really?" Natsu then smiles.

"If you think you aren't up to the challenge-"

"Of course I am! Max, let's go!" Gray commands as he storms from the guild.

"Will Max really be a challenge for Gray?" Erza asks and the pinkette smirks.

"You'll see." They all head outside and the battle that ensues shocks everyone present, including Max who is somehow prevailing in the battle.

"How!?" Gray shouts in shock as the sand user somehow easily defeats each attack sent his way. "It's _Max!_"

"I'll take no offense to that." The man says as he goes on the offense and knocks Gray back.

"Max's beating Gray?" Jet gasps as he looks between the battle and Natsu.

"You've been getting stronger and we're stagnant." Lucy says but Erza steps forward and places her hands on her hips.

"We'll close that gap in three months." She says sternly. "Gray! Max! We're done!" She orders and they both immediately stop. Gray is panting while Max seems to have just broken a sweat.

"Dammit. Dammit!" He curses and stops because he's not weak! He's not!

"We're going now!" Erza states and Gray turns to her with sharp eyes.

"Hell yeah we are." He responds with the same resolve as her.

"Let's go." Lucy adds with a smile and the trio are quick to head off. The guild silently laughs at their odd haste in leaving to get stronger.

**-x-**

Three months went by like a breeze. For Lucy, Erza and Gray, it went by in a day because of the Celestial Spirit Worlds time difference. Thankfully, they ran into Ultear, Jellal and Meredy, had a small reunion, and opened up their second origin.

When they come back to the guild, barely on time and struggling to get even a _little _bit stronger than before, they find the guild mostly empty except for the people planning to participate in the games alongside a few others.

"Where is everyone?" Lucy asks and Mira smiles at them from her seat at the edge of the bar.

"They went ahead to Crocus. To get good seats, they said." Natsu then appears at the top balcony and smiles down at them.

"I was afraid you wouldn't make it!" He shouts down at them before flashing to the first floor in a bolt of lightning. Most of them jump in shock at the sound of the crack and the flash of light but Natsu just stares at them. "What?"

"You just used my technique." Laxus states, not quite over the shock.

"Oh, yeah." Natsu then shrugs but Laxus remains unsatisfied. "Remember? We were fighting Hades, you came in like Mr. Super Hero, kinda... lost, and gave your magic to me. I beat Hades with it. I've been able to do lightning ever since." Laxus then nods in acceptance.

"I didn't think you'd keep it."

"Me neither." Natsu admits with a laugh. "Imagine my shock when I sneezed lightning one day!"

"Fight me." Gray says as he walks up to the conversing pinkette.

"Really, Gray?"

"I'm stronger now."

"Only because of Crime Sorciere." The pinkette states. They had kept their independent guild name as their team name, and considering how their goals are the same, it suits them.

"How did you-"

"They're members of Fairy Tail, Gray." Natsu rolls his eyes at his old rivals stupidity. Of course he knew.

"Just fight me dammit!" He shouts and swings a fist at Natsu. A shockwave goes out and it ruffles Natsu's hair but does nothing more thanks to Sting. Sting is suddenly there and standing next to Natsu, Gray's fist in the dragon slayers firm grip.

"Do _not _touch him." The dragon slayer hisses which shocks those of the Tenrou group.

"Sting." Sting looks to his master and sees the scowl aimed his way.

"They don't know _a thing._" Sting growls but lets go of Gray. "If they did, they wouldn't be so stupid."

"Hey!"

"There would be no way for them to know, Sting." The pinkette says wisely but that just peaks their interest even more.

"Know what?" Erza asks in her impatience.

"If you won't tell them, then I will." Sting says and Natsu just shakes his head and sighs.

"You're acting like it's a secret."

"You sure are treating it like one, Salamander." Gajeel joins in. He's becoming annoyed by the odd secrecy alongside everyone else.

"It's a pretty long story." Natsu says as a way to try and distract his friends but they don't buy it.

"We'll be expecting a lot of those." Lucy says as she walks towards him.

"It's also an important one, so lets get going." Sting says as he turns towards the guild doors.

"Can't we do it here?" Gray asks but Sting resolutely shakes his head and keeps walking. Begrudgingly, they follow him out and Natsu shakes his head before following at the back. He knows the topic is sensitive for Sting - really, for _everyone_ \- and he can't have Sting go off on the group or miscommunication ensue.

The small group heads down the streets after Sting. A few people had decided to stay behind and prepare the guild to be deserted for some time. And they understood the importance of this to the people closest to the pinkette.

"Okay, so…?" Gray prods and they turn to the pinkette in the back of their group.

"It happened about six years ago?" Sting nods in affirmation and Natsu smiles at the boy. "You had just joined the guild, right?"

"Yeah." Natsu slowly makes his way to the front of the group and leads them without even thinking about it, Sting's words slowly falling to the background. "Zeref's demons have gotten more active these seven years."

"Did you fight one?" Gajeel asks although the answer is obviously yes.

"One attacked Magnolia.

_**Flashback**_

Natsu notices the creature by pure chance. He's outside of the guild because he's trying to not join in the brawl. He had decided after becoming guild master that he couldn't instigate brawls anymore. Well, that and he instigated one out of pure habit and it didn't end well. It really did show him that he really is the strongest mage in the guild at the moment. For all he wanted to become strong, a part of him acknowledged that there would always be someone stronger. And for them to be so suddenly gone means far more than he initially thought.

He didn't realize how hard it was to not join brawls, it had practically become a habit. Although, with the people he'd typically fight being gone, it's not as hard as it could be.

He had taken to standing outside and enjoying it instead of fighting. It helped in an odd form of meditation. But when he takes in a deep breath, the air smells different. It's thick with malice and Natsu's eyes fling open. The hairs on his arms stand up and he whips his head around as he finds himself scanning for Lullaby or Deliora or _something_. But he can't see it and that just scares him more. He's quick to burst back into the guild and stop the brawl.

"Everyone!" He shouts but only a few seem to listen to him. He doesn't want to show them the panic thrumming through him but he needs their attention. "_LISTEN_!" His magic ripples from him in a wave of harmless fire that goes throughout the entire guild. They all look to him and Jet slowly sets down the chair he was about to throw.

"Natsu?"

"We need to evacuate the town. Now!" He commands but they just stare at him for a moment.

"What's wrong?" They ask but he just growls.

"Get them to safety. Go! _Now_!" The last part comes out in a growl but they all take notice of his urgency and the hint of fear in his voice that they hardly ever hear from him. They make haste in running from the guild and into the town. But they don't know where to take the civilians.

Their predicament changes quickly as the mages are quick to notice the looming presence. It's vile power seems to float through the air and it helps them notice a shadow coming in on the horizon.

"What _is _that?" Macao blanches as he sees the form that is slowly becoming larger. Wakaba blinks in both fear and confusion before herding people faster than before.

"I don't wanna know." And anyone who hears him can't help but agree.

"It's huge!"

"A dragon!?"

"Impossible!" The screams and awed voices of the townspeople fill the air. The guild members fight back their fear as they decide to just focus on their task. Natsu watches them for some time, unsure of what to do at that exact moment. But as a roar from far off hits them in its echo, he knows what he has to do. After looking across the town once more from his advantage point by the guild, Natsu runs down the long street and towards the growing shadow.

The closer it gets the more Natsu can analyze its form. The red draconic creature is nothing like Igneel and its dragon appearance brings him no comfort. It has six legs and four wings which add to its intimidating form. Natsu is sure the golden horns aren't just for show and he doesn't want to experience them first hand if he can help it.

It lands on many buildings and Natsu prays to everything that those people had been evacuated. In one swift movement, it destroys all the houses around it with the club at the end of its tail. Horrified screams fill the air and Natsu closes his eyes and just keeps running.

If he's going to distract this thing, fight this thing, and even _hope _to beat it, he can't be distracted. He'll let the guild deal with the people, he has to trust them. Because they trust him.

"Help us!" They cry for him but he regretfully runs past, tears in his eyes that he forces himself to not shed.

"RUN!" Natsu bellows in response and he tries not to see their heartbroken and fear filled faces. Finally he reaches the beast and faces it head on. Its onyx eyes pierce into his own, but they are void of anything and everything. He gets the vague feeling that the creature is a demon but the feeling of dread that accompanies the thought makes him block the idea out. He can't get distracted. Not by fear, not by sadness or anger or-

"Get away!" Natsu screams as he sees more people. Civilians that _need to leave they need to-_

The dragon roars and Natsu shakes his head. He's too scatterbrained to not be distracted!

"Lets see if your dragon enough for a dragon slayer to defeat." The pinkette tries to fake confidence and the dragon actually looks to him. The demon towers over him, taller than the cathedral and Natsu hopes the beloved cathedral doesn't get destroyed through all of this. The next roar takes over his senses. It's blood-curdling and Natsu bites his lip.

A buzzing fills his senses alongside a fear comparable to what he felt on Tenrou while facing Gildarts. But... he can't back down. Not with Magnolia and his guild behind him, he'd never back down. The situation reminds him of when Gramps had decided to face Acnologia on his own, the thought makes a small smile spread across his face. He hopes that this time, the guild won't try to come to his rescue (although, the fear in his heart makes him doubt and he's sure Makarov felt the same. Few people want to look death in the face, let alone by themselves). Stretching its wings it stands on its four back legs, puffing its chest out to show a golden under-belly.

The sound of fire cracking and a sharp intake of breath sets Natsu on guard. The beasts chest expands as his chest glows like an ember. Opening its mouth as large as a small house, the pinkette sees a glow emitting from its throat. He knows what is about to happen, a dragon had raised him after all. Apparently this roars the same way. But, turning around he sees people still evacuating in its direct line of fire.

"Shit-" The thing releases a torrent of fire, much larger than Natsu anticipated it to be. _Well, at least it uses fire, I can take this thing on! _He begins to suck in the fire as fuel. Except he soon becomes near full, and he can tell the demon isn't even close to being done.

Taking some focus off the fire he turns to see the street behind him empty, and he lets the rest of the heat go. He watches the fire go by but then sees some movement down the street. He _missed _someone?

_Did I just kill someone?_

He refuses to believe all is lost and reaches for them, wanting to go through the fire and save them. The fire won't hurt him, he's a dragon slayer, but it will kill them. And it would be his fault.

When his left hand begins to feel pinpricks of pain, Natsu realizes something is wrong. Pinpricks suddenly become unbearable and take over his entire hand in a searing hot poison. Instinctual, he stumbles back and his hand numbly shakes. He sees it covered red in his blood and in burns that he should not be able to receive.

He ignores the fact that his lungs are oddly okay.

"GAAHHHH!" He falls to the ground in pain. Natsu is very familiar with burns and can immediately tell that his hand will be scarred beyond recognition. Needles are attacking all of his nerves, but after a few seconds it numbs which is always a bad sign. The beast stops its flames once Natsus' scream of pain comes to a close.

_This is bad._ The thing drops back down and stares at Natsu with it's dark eyes. Not looking in the least bit exhausted, in fact, it looks refreshed. _Well, at least it gave me a power-up. _Forcing himself to stand he stares down the beast once more. He can ignore the pain, he's been through worse for his guild (he can't lie to himself, but he has to try.)

"Fire Dragon's Roar!" He screams and the beast roars in pain as the fire hits two of its six eyes. _Only if I hit the eyes... its scales are fire proof... _He analyzes and recalls one time where he hit one of Igneel's eyes and the dragon had, in pain, accidentally hit Natsu with a stronger attack than he meant to. He turns around to the path of ash and destruction, where flames lick at the edges of houses and hedges that lay at the border. And at the end of the path lay his home with a huge hole in it, the hole's edges blackened and the inside crumbling (he can't let it bother him. His home is his family. But it hurts to know that the rest of his family won't come back to the same building. He swore he would protect it for them.)

"GRAAAAHHHH!" The demonic dragon screeches in anger and thunders towards the Fairy Tail guild master. Swiping a claw at him it slams the pinkette into the buildings to his right. Crashing through the wall he screams out in pain, the claws digging into his flesh. His back gets stabbed by wood and brick but Natsu bites back any more cries. As it draws the claw away, Natsu falls out of the hole in the house. Natsu stares up at the beast in pain and feels warm blood cover his chest and back. _Is there anything I can do? _He analyzes the beast for a weakness, then Natsu notices the scales which were hit with his own fire have scorch marks and dents. _Just one more roar and those things'll break off!_ A smile dares to grace his lips through the pain at the new-found information.

The demon is a few meters away when he begins to run through the ash of former houses, gritting his teeth as a pain shoots through his torso and blood breaks from his lips, spilling down his chin in a thin stream. He moves towards the guild, _Good thing I know more than fire magic. _As he runs, the angered demon follows him in its slow steps. He then spots a flash of white jumping on the houses rooftops beside him.

"Natsu-nii!" Natsu's not shocked by the young dragon slayers shout for he had recognized the child a moment before.

"Why aren't you helping people escape!?"

"Almost everyone is out, I came to help you!" At this, Natsu stops and spins around to face the demon. _Maybe... _His eyes flick to Sting. He had been there not too long ago, Sting is too stubborn to send away, after all (and it's nice to not stare a demon down by yourself, although he'd rather it not be a kid who doesn't deserve this torment.)

"Sting! Hit it with your roar!" The young boy shows a face of joy that his guild master hadn't shunned his attempt to help him, and he immediately does as he was told.

"Holy Dragon's Roar!" Hitting the side of the face Natsu hadn't, scales rip off and show the red skin below. _Perfect! _Natsu gives Sting the thumbs-up in forced cheerfulness as a form of praise, because Sting should understand his importance and strength and - and the dragon turns to the young boy. And something doesn't just drop in Natsu's stomach, but rather all his injuries open anew there and bleed until he just wants to tear it all about because _nonono. Not Sting. Not because of him_. The growl reverberates through the air and Sting suddenly seems to _really _see the thing for what it is. The pinkette watches the terror grow in the young boys eyes - because that's what he is, a young boy (and now Natsu understands Gray more than he ever thought he would. Or perhaps, he understands Ultear.)

"Roar at me!" Natsu fakes a confidence and through Stings fear, the young boy can only see his strong guild master. The dragon smashes a few buildings as its target changes to the blond-haired boy. Sting doesn't take his eyes off its growing figure. "Sting!" The kid switches his fearful gaze to his master, "I'm right here, I'll protect you." The calm voice comforts the young boy as the demon lumbers towards him. "Now, roar and run Sting. Go to Rogue, Lector's waiting for you."

More houses are crushed under the creatures weight as it gets closer to Sting.

"Uwahh!" He cries out, turning back towards the beast that nears him, nearly 20 meters away. He trembles in fear and and jumps at each new sound the beast makes.

He likes dragons. This is _no _dragon. He refuses to associate Skiadrum or Wessilogia or hell, even Igneel (though he never met him,) with this monstrosity. Dragons make him feel alive.

Right now, he would rather die and deal with this thing for one more second (although he wouldn't want this _thing _to kill him.)

"Sting, look at me!" Natsu yells and gives a smile,"It's not fear or cowardice to know your limits. I won't let it hurt you." 10 meters. The hot breath hits the small boy, "Come on. Do it." The words calm the boy, and even as the house beside him gets crushed he shows courage and obeys his guild master.

"H-Holy Dragon's Roar!" He cries out and Natsu sucks in the breath attack. The demon is right on Sting who cowers below it and backs away slowly with a hand on his heart. The beast lifts one heavy claw, intending on crushing the young boy, as though it relishes in pain and it is more fun to crush than to just send a breath attack and be on its way."NATSSUUUU!"

As it lands dust flies everywhere, mixing with black ash as it soars upward. For a moment all is still, but when Sting looks up he sees a man standing above him. His arms are covered in a white and red light. Under the pressure of holding the beast, cracks appears beneath his feet and he creates two large craters.

"G-go!" He turns to Sting, and through the pain he gives his signature smile,"Go back to Lector." Sting ignores how breathy and pained the pinkette sounds. With tears in his eyes, he nods and scrambles away from the monsters foot. He trips slightly at first but blasts out of there all the same. Glad he could somewhat help the older man.

Once he's long gone, Natsu slowly inches to the edge of the foot, allowing the pain to show on his face. As the beast presses down harder he tries to slide out, knowing he can't hold on much longer.

He's not fast enough as he barely gets his body out, but the foot crushes his right arm.

"GAAAHHHH!" He cries out, and through the pain (he can't focus on it, he can't think about the bones breaking - the skin tearing - the fact that it _can't _all heal right) he looks up at the belly of the beast. "Holy Dragon's..." He struggles to take in a breath, the air enters his aching lungs and expands his broken ribs but he _has to he has to_. So he bites back the pain and welcomes the foreign power that envelopes him in its foreign warmth, "ROAR!" He hits its throat and the left side of its head, making it stumble into its previous path of destruction. Upon the pressure leaving, he feels pain flood his senses. His bones cracks and fractures, the debris stuck in the back of his arm, every sensation that Natsu has to force himself to ignore floods his senses in a moment of blinding pain that lasts too long for Natsu to function. He growls and hisses and bites his lip to try and drag himself back to reality. Because he can't he can't he _can't _lose himself. Not now, not when he's so close.

So he forces the pain away, he forces the fear away and he stamps down the panic in his lungs and lets the adrenaline take over. Natsu blinks away the tears and forces his beaten body to stand up on unsteady legs. This time, he welcomes the terrifying numbness and ignores the consequences of tomorrow (he channels his old self. The stubborn idiot who could brush off the worst of it so long as his family is by his side. But as a guild master, they aren't beside him, they're behind him, and that means so much more.)

"RRAAAAAARRRGGGGHHHHH!" It bellows, staring down its opponent. Its blood drips on the ground below and burns it like acid. He's made progress _. But... _He looks up at the demon and realizes one simple fact, _I can't beat it. _It hurts him to admit that simple fact to himself. _But I must stop it. Stop it from hurting my guild, my town, and anyone else. _He doesn't know how and a sloppy plan begins to form in his head.

Then, as he watches the beast stand and narrow its eyes on him, it hits him. He knows what he has to do... the only thing he can do. If he can even do it.

"Holy Mavis... This better work." He sighs, remembering when someone else had done the same as he's about to do, but they had failed. Walking out in front of the beast he stands tall. _Neither of my arms are ready to do this... Oh well._ "HOLY DRAGON'S ROAR!" He lets loose the most powerful roar he can muster.

It hits the beast square in the face, in all taking out four eyes, many of the scales on the cheeks and down the neck, also some on the front legs. It screams out in pain as it falls backwards. As it does, Natsu gets on his knees and uses his left hand to draw a magic circle in the dust. He winces at each movement and the trembling makes it difficult to make the perfect lines he needs. Better the burnt arm rather than the fractured one, he figures. Making sure it's all correctly written, he looks up to see the beast with a new found anger for him.

Once again it powers for a burst of fire and Natsu hops in front of the magic circle to protect it. But the fire has a purple tint to it as it begins to come from its mouth. _Might as well try... _The fire comes from its throat and he sucks it in, feeling an overwhelming power surge such as the one in Tower of Heaven, or when he faced Zero.

"Dragon force!?" He gapes and looks at his body after the attack had been stopped. "It's now or never. Holy Fire Lightning Dragon's Roar!" He isn't sure if the attack will work or even technically exists, but he tries one last time and succeeds in blowing off one of its horns. It loses the majority of its facial scales at this final attack and the lightning causes it to be mildly paralyzed. The energy radiating off of it has lowered, but not nearly enough.

It was just playing with him, and turning his head to look at the destruction, he's okay with it staying like that. Going to stand in the magic circle, Natsu begins to recite the spell. Any outsider would think this is too drastic of a measure, that he could just defeat the beast, but Natsu knows otherwise. This thing is far out of his league, he's almost completely exhausted and this thing is just warming up.

_Plus, _Natsu notes to himself, _it heals itself. _Upon finishing the spell, he raises his hands, palms facing the beast. Or he tries to, but as the muscles in his right arm try to work he can only cry out in pain as the bones can't move. With a heavy wince at the movement, he raises his burnt hand only and even that is painful and it shakes uncontrollably (how can something numb still hurt so much?)

He has to do this right. A black spell circle goes in front of him and drains a lot of his magic energy. The demon slowly moves forward, the lightning's effect wearing off and cutting Natsus' time short.

"Shit!" He curses under his breath as the beast takes a thunderous step towards him.

"Natsu!-"

"Master!-"

"Natsu-nii!-"

"What are you doing!?" The guild members shout as they see him. He gives them a look and spares a smile. Seeing them all means that everyone is safe. And that's the comfort he needs to get through this.

"Whatever it takes." He finally says once he finishes the spell. One of these days, he's sure those will be his final words. Assuming this works. The beast soon has a dark magic circle in front of it and two appear above and below Natsu. "ORRRAAHHHH!" He screams as the spell takes effect, the demon echoing in roars of pain. Both soon are covered in a blinding light that bathes the entire city with its warmth.

Once it dissipates, the beast is gone. Natsu lays on the ground, barely conscious. But what they care about is that he doesn't look exactly like Natsu. The guild soon surrounds him and he gives a weak smile before coughing up a concerning amount of blood. He already lost too much.

"W-what did you do?" Macao kneels next to him, trying to decide which wound needs his immediate attention. Natsu doesn't answer as he weakly coughs before his eyes get hazy and he passes out.

**A/N: Different but makes a bit more sense, I hope. Warmed my heart to watch the views for this story go up within an hour of posting it. I was afraid you all were just gonna shun me for falling off the face of the planet!**

**Also, odd thing. A while back I found a story eerily similar to **_**I Will Save You**_**. Like, point for point seemed exactly the same. And I can't seem to find it. Whether it was taken down or I just can't find it, if any of you are aware of what I'm talking about and could point me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate that. I'm not against people drawing inspiration from my stories - in fact, I'm greatly flattered. I never really thought anyone would actually read these - however, if it really is just a total copy with no credit given, that I do have an issue with. Also, love that story and **_**Alternate Ending**_**, so, shameless self-promoting, if you haven't read those, you should. Honestly my favorites of what I've written.**

**Well! Thank you all so very much! Reviews are much appreciated from you lovely people! Til next time, see ya!**


	3. The Attacks

**Chapter Three: The Attacks**

**A/N: And it begins.**

"What did you do?" Mira asks and Natsu scratches the back of his neck in slight embarrassment.

"Something stupid." They don't laugh at him and Natsu looks ahead to see their destination. "If you really wanna know what Magnolia went through, you have to see this." He says and as the group approaches the statue they realize what they're seeing.

It's a small and simple memorial. From the title, it seems to be where the demon first landed. Next to it is a statue of Natsu, they think, but they can hardly tell it's him. He looks as he did just after the battle they assume, showing the truth of Natsu's battle far better than the story itself. Below it, they can read a list of names on a plaque.

"They didn't make it." Laxus says as he reads through the names. A few of them he vaguely remembers in the sense that they may have met once, but most of the people who died are strangers. He hears Lucy gasp and Erza tries to comfort her, but that's the extent of their response. He isn't surprised she would know some of these people, she was always in town and interacting with people in a daily routine.

Everyone turns their attention back to the statue itself, made in memory of the person who saved them that day and for the demonic dragon's victims. And though it is a golden metallic color, the details are so perfect they can tell what everything on it is. They assume that if the demon were to take on a human form, it would look exactly like the statue; it has all the dragon's features that Natsu had described. To top it all off, it even has scales popping out every now and then, a clubbed tail, and two wings folded on its back.

The posture, however, is uncharacteristic of Natsu. His face is grim and his eyes are closed. One hand is across his heart while his right lays limply by his side.

"Where's your scarf?" Happy asks and he's barely fighting back tears. Natsu doesn't skip a beat as he wraps his arms around his small blue partner.

"I lost it but we found it afterwards." He informs the feline as he pets his fur in comfort.

"What's its name?" Gray asks after he successfully fights back his anger. How does his home keep getting attacked by these damn demons? And again, he wasn't there and he did nothing.

"Gratendo." Natsu states but his voice is soft. They can see his head bent down as he seems to just keep reading the names of the people lost. "We call it Lucifer."

Lucy can't just keep reading those names. She doesn't recognize them all - a boat man here, a baker there - but she's always been an empathetic person. So she heads past the statue and sees a new object. As she gets closer to it, she recognizes it to be a painting.

It's a beautifully morbid picture made at the end of the trail of destruction. The houses on the edges are curved as if it had been hit by a huge circle-like magic. Burnt and crisp, looking as if they will fall at any second. The ground is covered in black ash with small flames licking at anything that's nearby. In the corner of the page, the cathedral stands just out of harm's way. But behind it is darkness except for the sparkle of a small river, untouched by everything. The most recognizable shadow is the one towering in the middle of the path of destruction.

It looms above everything and its damaged look just adds to the monstrous appearance. Smoke rises from it steadily and Lucy can practically feel the rage in its eyes. Following the red dragon's gaze she sees the _extremely _small figure of a person. Seen only by the small light the flames make as they seem to flicker, low on fuel. The image shows the large dragon towering over the puny human who has a swirl of magic around him in a colorful mix.

"Natsu, what is this?" She asks as the group slowly comes to join her.

"Is that you?" Erza then asks the pinkette who just nods in response.

"Reedus drew this. Took him a year to finish."

"He remembered what it looked like after a year?" Lucy then asks in astonishment. The attention to detail is impressive and frightening.

"It's not something you forget." Sting speaks up from Natsus' side. They don't respond as they analyze the painting. It gives them a foreboding feeling and they hadn't even been there. They couldn't imagine facing it, or even fighting it with the hope to win. Gray is starkly reminded of Deliora and Lucy recalls Lullaby. The fear of facing such an intimidating beast.

Soul crushing, breathtaking fear.

They don't ask how Natsu did it. Natsu doesn't tell them.

"How did you take-over something like that?" Mira asks as she glances back at the statue.

"He didn't take-over it, he ain't a take-over mage," Gajeel says as he crosses his arms. It doesn't make any sense. Mira purses her lips as she looks back to Natsu. There's nothing else he could have done.

"How did you do it?"

"Gramps has an old book on it in his office," Natsu says as he also looks back to the realistic statue. He assumed Makarov had gotten the book for Mira, which explains why it was so specific on demonic take-overs.

"Wait, so you _did _take it over?" Gray shakes his head in shock. A demon of that strength for a first time take-over?

"Did it take you over?" Elfman softly asks and they all look at him. After all, he, a trained take-over mage, had 'killed' his own sister in his incompetence with the magic.

"No." Natsu states and looks at the painting. It brings back the old feeling of fear but also an odd level of contentment. He had succeeded, in a sense. And he hadn't lost himself. "Although it still lurks under the surface, it hasn't taken me over." He has no better explanation for it. He had searched for a reason, trying to figure out how he had managed such a feat, nothing came up but he had a few guesses. Anyone he told his insecurities to had always brushed it off and told him not to worry. It hadn't happened and that's what matters.

Lucy and Erza share a look. The idea that the demon in their friend could still take him over is terrifying. Gray missed their shared look as his gaze had drifted to the floor. If another demon ended up tearing apart his family, he wouldn't be able to take it.

But if that meant killing Natsu…

_That doesn't matter_, Gray affirms with a shake of his head, _because Natsu won't lose to the damned thing_.

The group turns to head back to the guild. It's a mostly silent journey as the group notices the newer buildings. They had hardly noticed how Magnolia had changed, and now they can't stop noticing it.

The bakery is now an antique shop, the shoe stand is now a bench. It's all different.

"Anything else you want to throw on us now?" Gray tries to sound nonchalant but the differences are astounding and he really wants the answer to be a simple _no_. He always thought Magnolia would just simply be Magnolia, and for it to be different puts a bad taste in his mouth.

They all feel as though they should have been there to protect their friends, their family, their home.

Sting doesn't jump for the story this time, which is odd. He had been all about educating the uneducated. All about making sure they understand the pain and misery the guild had faced in their absence. Although it partially annoyed the group, they became thankful for his bluntness. But the uncharacteristic silence puts them on edge.

"Natsu?" Lucy asks as she sees the tight look on his face. There's obviously something that they're hiding again. He has a slight frown as he tries to decide what to do and he doesn't take his eyes off the guild.

"Some time after Gratendo, we were _still _searching for people, not to mention clean-up and rebuilding."

"It's one thing after the other." Laxus says and it would be funny, a few of them laugh, but Nasu doesn't and Sting and Rogue are right there with him.

"Yeah." Natsu then sends a smile and it's fake. They all know it, but he's trying to not be the uncharacteristic man that they have seen more often than they'd like. "But we got a lot of help from other guilds and nearby towns. We owe a _lot _of people for that."

"No, we don't. You saved them and they were repaying _you_." Sting states and Natsu just shrugs.

"They did a lot for us."

"I agree with Sting." Rogue says and Lucy jumps at hearing his voice. He hadn't spoken ever in her presence, she partially thought he was mute.

"Shocker, Rogue." The pinkette says with a laugh and ruffles his hair. "Well, eventually we ran into issues.

_**Flashback**_

Natsu quickly got tired of the hospital. With the guild still being rebuilt, they forced him to stay in the sterile building full of other hurt people. And Natsu never thought he would miss the guild infirmary until he finds himself seldom surrounded by his family. Of course he can't blame them, they're doing their duty as Fairy Tail mages by taking care of the town, but still.

The only time he had been permitted to leave the hospital was to join the service of mourning. Everyone attended and it happened in the cathedral. Many different figures spoke, and although Natsu didn't want to, he was expected to as the person who fought and the Master of Fairy Tail.

Apparently, his speech was great and everyone was in tears, himself included, and they wanted to make a statue of him. He immediately was against it. He didn't want something like that, people still died. He didn't save everyone.

They wouldn't hear any of that. And so they made a statue.

Then, they forced him to stay in the hospital. He had left many times and tried to be out with the working people, but he was too weak to fight when people dragged him back. He even had a group of _kids _bring him back to the hospital (although he made it easier for them, he loves kids.) He didn't know he was so recognizable until that happened.

Bored and sitting in his empty hospital room, Natsu looked out the window towards the guild and he winced in pain from a sudden headache.

_Something's wrong_.

The uneasy feeling refused to leave him even though he tried to will it away. He figured it would only leave if he checked on the guild. Although he was sure everything must be alright, he knew he had to go check. _Had _to.

So, being Natsu, he wouldn't be able to sneak his way all the way through the town, so he found a way through force. He walks down the road, well, limps down the road with a crutch under one arm. Many people shout out to him but he's too focused to pay them any mind.

"Hey, Natsu." Lyon steps right in the way and Natsu doesn't even spare him a glance. He just keeps going but Lyon doesn't let him. "You need to get back in bed." The growl that escapes the pinkette hardly scares Lyon.

"Let me go."

"No." The response is short and Natsu's attack comes right after. Lyon tries but doesn't put up much of a fight. He's so damaged and everyone knows that and respects him greatly for what he had done. And the others who came to back up Lyon just end up the same as the ice mage. Defeated and embarrassed on how he still managed to beat them.

They underestimated the mistake of getting in the way of a guild master and their guild.

Natsu finally reaches the guild and he notices how well the rebuilding is going. They are almost done with getting rid of the damaged area and there are some spots of new wood that's crisp color stands out on the worn structure. But as he gets closer he can _sense _the difference in the aura. Like a sixth sense, he knows something is wrong.

Unknown to him, inside the guild members are tied to the wall with magic-restraint handcuffs. The unknown dark guild Hydra Fang had been biding its time to fulfill its goal: destroy Fairy Tail.

Erigor, the creator and master of the guild, holds his scythe up to young Sting's throat. His voice booms through the broken guild hall.

"Where is Natsu?" He pushes the blade against the young dragon slayers throat and produces a thin stream of blood. Everyone shouts in protest for the boys safety, but the look in his eyes tells them they have nothing to worry about. At least not yet.

"He won't be here for another week! And he's protected!" Sting spits in his face, "And when he comes back, Natsu-nii's gonna kick your ass!" Erigor cracks a grin.

"Oh? Natsu-_nii_?" He pushes the scythe more against his throat.

"Hiek!" Sting screeches as the blade draws more blood. Once again, the members shout in protest while the dark guild laughs.

"I wonder what Natsu-nii would do for you."

Right on time the guild doors are suddenly thrown open with such ferocity they're blown off their hinges. Although, they are sure it is thanks to them already being weakened from the demons attack.

"_Step AWAY FROM HIM_!" A voice booms and the amount of anger in it sends shivers down their spines. A voice that is typically so positive and cheerful and happy should not be able to sound so… demonic. The person it comes from has bandages covering his entire body and holds himself up with a crutch. But the dark look in his eyes makes them forget about how damaged he is.

"So this is what the mighty Salamander has come to?" Erigor scoffs at the sight of the person who defeated him. The crazed look in his eyes does not go unnoticed by Natsu.

"Who are you?" He cocks his head and the Fairy Tail members blanch at his stupidity. They assume that he knows that man, but that's just Natsu. "Whatever. Let Sting go."

"Says the guy covered in bandages." Erigor shakes his head,"I have the power right now." Natsu silently glares at the man before looking to Sting.

"Are you okay?" Natsu turns his full attention and concern to Sting. Erigor twitches at being ignored and his grip on the scythe tightens. Sting slowly gulps and flicks his eyes to the scythe before looking at Natsu. _No_, he wants to say but he gives the smallest nod he can manage.

"Yeah." He croaks but the wince afterwards gives him away. Natsu sighs and knows that he's at a disadvantage. A huge disadvantage.

"What do you want, Erigor." The glare he sends the wind mage scares Sting. Although it isn't directed right at him, the dragon slayer can practically feel the full force of it and it is terrifying. The idea that he wanted to defeat this mage seems like a stupid kids wish at this moment.

"I want you to suffer." He says as his grip tightens on the young boy. He had spent almost a decade surveying and studying and preparing to destroy the dragon slayer, and as a sinister smile grew on the man's face Natsu tried to stamp down the worry. "Your scarf." Sting openly gasps and the Fairy Tail members growl but Natsu just closes his eyes for a moment. "Then I'll give you the boy."

Natsu snarls as he rips the scarf from his throat. He knows where his priorities lie. Stubbornly, he drops his crutch and holds out the scarf in a clenched fist. Erigor openly laughs as he wraps his magic around the scarf and tries to bring it to him but Natsu just tightens his grip.

"_Let him go._" The growl is low and dangerous. It rumbles from his chest and if Sting weren't in the man's clutches, a roar would have followed right after. But he can't risk it.

As soon as Erigor throws Sting, Natsu let's the scarf go and catches the young slayer before he hits the ground. He breaks Sting's fall but when he lands wounds rip open upon the force of impact. The blood soaks the bandages and the pain once again courses through him like needles, a pain Natsu ignores. Instead, he scans the child for any more injuries. The neck injury isn't bleeding anymore but he still tears off a cleaner bandage to put on the child's neck.

"Your scarf..." Sting sniffs as he looks into Natsu's face. Although he's adequately applying the bandage, there is still a genuine smile across his lips. The man's calm demeanor just makes Sting cry even more.

"Your wound!" Bisca then yells as she sees the blood soaked bandages. Sting then leaps away from the kneeling man and tries to spot the injuries.

"I'm fine-" Natsu tries to laugh through the pain but a violent cough attacks his lungs.

"Natsu!-"

"Master!-"

"Natsu-nii!" Sting scrambles to try and help the older male but he doesn't know what to do. Natsu coughs into his hand in an attempt to silence himself, but as he coughs a warm liquid coats his palm. _Damn. _He pulls his hand away enough to spot the blood before clenching it and sending Sting a small smile.

"Salamander." Erigor speaks up with a tone that means nothing good. Using his hands, Natsu forces himself up onto unsteady feet. More people than Natsu would have liked notice the smear of blood.

"Is he really gonna fight?" Romeo whispers through his tears. Macao doesn't have an answer for his son as he watches Natsu regain his composure. Knowing the pinkette, he would not go down without a fight. But no one wants to see him die today. Erigor looks at the scarf in amusement. Everyone in Fiore knows of this scarf and its importance.

"Your connection to your dad. How important it must be to you." Erigor just wants to prolong the torture and tease Natsu. The pinkette bites his lip and glares at the man in front of him.

He doesn't know how he's gonna win this. But he has to.

"My family is here and they're more important than all of my connections to Igneel." Natsu spits out but at the end he sends Fairy Tail a comforting smile. It seems to wash their worries away and they realize that he has this. They don't know how he does, but they know that everything is going to be alright. And as Natsu watches their demeanor change, he becomes more determined to succeed. Erigor purses his lips in a slight pout and he narrows his eyes.

"Then this will be no fun." he blandly says and he presses his scythe up against the scaled material. Natsu's brows crease at the man's intentions but he stares right at the wind user. Erigor smirks as he sees the conflict in the young man's eyes. He twists the scythe until it creates a small but growing hole in the scarf. "But_ this _will be." In an agonizingly slow motion he tears the scarf in two. The two never break eye contact. Although Natsu twitches with the urge to do something, he hardly moves an inch.

"Natsu..."

"Your scarf..." The guild members mourn for their guild master, because even though he puts a brave face on they know Erigor's actions hurt his heart. They know just how much that scarf means to him. They knew what it was like when someone even _touched _his scarf. And although he had gotten more comfortable with people over the years, he still remained very protective of it. Even in the past _year_, someone he didn't trust with his scarf decided to grab it and that taught everyone nearby a clear lesson.

"This is boring." The Shinigami complains and turns to a cloaked man beside him. "Nightsbane." The cloaked figure then shows the hilt of his sword as he steps forward. Natsu curses at the prospect of the fight and turns to the wall at his right. Raising his right hand he pulls it away from the wall.

"Natsu, what're you-" The pinkette ignores them all and slams his fist against the wall. He fails to bite back a gasp of pain as the cast shatters on impact. Sting jumps as parts of the cast fall down next to him.

"Sting." He says through his teeth as he bends down and whispers into the youths ear.

"Okay, Natsu-nii." He sends the pinkette a wobbly grin and wipes away his tears. As Natsu turns to face Nightsbane, the younger dragon slayer runs out the guild's doors. Natsu takes a moment to test both arms, clenching his fists and feeling how off the grip is, but it's acceptable.

"Let's get this over with." He holds up his hand in a teasing way. Natsu then walks out to stand parallel to his opponent. He manages to walk just fine and mask his limp, the only hint of pain is a slight wince when he stops. "Don't hold back, you'll hold it against yourself after you lose." He smirks cockily and everyone rolls their eyes in a collective sweatdrop.

"Salamander." The man sneers as he pulls out the pitch-black katana and holds it to his side. Natsu bends down, getting ready, but his body isn't ready. The person launches and then vanishes, smelling the air he senses the man behind him, but his body aches as he somehow manages to turn and face the man.

The sword strikes him, but he raises his arms fast enough to guard the attack. He isn't ready for the magic in the blade. Pain shoots through him, immeasurable pain, and yet... familiar pain that he had felt once before. It blankets his nerves and blinds him momentarily. A buzzing noise takes over him as he's forced to kneel over. Looking to his side, he sees the cloaked man slightly cowering to an invisible pain, the same way he is.

"Natsu!-"

"Master!-"

"Natsu-san!-"

"What the hell!?" Natsu gasps.

"This sword uses memories against a person." He begins and the pain subsides in both of them. As they get up from their experience, the man continues,"It reminds you of your pain." A warm liquid flows down the right side of Natsu's face, followed by a sharp pain, but it's dull compared to what he had just felt. As he touches it with his hand he feels the deep wound running from his temple to his lip. _That's gonna scar._

"But you feel it too, don't you?" Natsu points out as he gets up,"Just physical pain? That's useless." He states but the man gains a hidden smirk.

"Loss." The man says under his breath and launches at Natsu. _That was not the pain of loss_. Just before Natsu is cut he sees the man's sneer and a feeling of foreboding floods him.

Igneel leaving him, the feeling flashes through his mind, and as an afterthought he's reminded of his scarf. The sadness of his memory goes through him once more and blankets him in the feeling. One tear falls but he hardly notices it. _This-_ he grits his teeth and stabs his hand into a chest wound. Blood seeps out of the wound at a faster rate but the physical pain keeps him grounded.

"This-" he gets up and looks at the bent over man. "This is a memory," he looks down at him with a forced smile, "just a memory." He walks towards him and grabs the tip of the blade. His blood drips down the blade and seeps through his fingers but it's nothing compared to what he's faced.

"Wha-" The man opens his eyes in shock before the next wave of emotions cloud his mind. The feeling of guilt having not been able to save Lisanna the day she 'died' makes him get choked up. But he gets through it, he squeezes the sword harder. Anger builds up in him, anger at himself for being unable to do anything else for the people he left on Tenrou. Guilt for leaving them. Loss for them being gone. "I-I can't!" The cloaked man screams. "This is too much!" Natsu steals the sword and catches a familiar scent which makes him smile. Taking the sword in hand he turns to the dark guild, having defeated its 'ace'.

"Let's go, uh..." he turns to Erigor who just snarls.

"Hydra Fang." Erigor commands and they get in their battle stances.

"Lets go, Hydra Fang." The members launch at him as he finishes and he begins slicing them down. The negative emotions build up in him at each slice, and he feels it corroding his mental state. Helplessness: Seeing Erza go into the lacrima in Tower of Heaven. Heart break: Lisanna's death, his only true friend at the time. Repeat. The emotions repeat but the memories change. It becomes almost too painful as he relives the feelings, but he doesn't slow down as he cuts his opponents, because he has a mission in mind: hold them off. And if he's too magically exhausted, then he can act as Erza for a battle, he's fought her enough to know a few tricks.

Finally completing what his guild master had ordered him to do, Sting watches his guild get to work and save their hot-headed master from his own stupidity. They attack Hydra Fang with their might and fury while Natsu's forced to pause his attack by Alzack and Bisca.

"Hey Natsu." Bisca waves his hand in front of the pinkettes face.

"He's out cold." Alzack points out and she shakes her head. The gunners then notice that the pinkette is speaking and they lean closer to the younger fire mage.

"Just memories, just memories, just memories..." They look at each other, remembering the cloaked mages explanation about the swords abilities.

"We're taking him back to the hospital." Bisca announces much to everyone else's joy, but the fire mage struggles against them.

"I won't leave my family." He mumbles. He's so physically and mentally exhausted he fought in a half-lucid state. The duo just sighs at their master's stubbornness.

"We beat them. You need to go to a hospital." The pinkette looks up, his eyes glazed-over. "Lets go, you're the guild master. You're not supposed to be so crazy." Natsu blinks a few times and his eyes clear slightly.

"Ahh, that's your fault for appointing _me _as guild master." He gives a loopy smile and they laugh as they drag him back to the hospital. They see mages from other guilds and look at them in anger. When the mages spot Natsu's state, they run over in shock and worry

"Weren't you keeping an eye on him?" Alzack asks and the murder in their eyes makes everyone freeze.

"People tried, he beat all of them on a gut feeling that you guys were in trouble. If we faced him there would just be more people needing medical attention." A person says before helping to move a large piece of wood with another person. A smile graces their lips as they look down at the pinkette who's acting like he's drunk. _This guy's in charge of us... what are we gonna do?_

_**Present**_

Natsu keeps walking before noticing that the small group following him had stopped. He turns around to see Happy now buried in Lucy's chest and the blond barely holding back tears. Mira is right there with Lucy in trying to act strong for her brother but he can see right through her. Everyone else seems frozen in shock and Natsu just raises his brow at them.

"Luce, are you okay?" He asks as he walks back towards the group. They seem to have huddled in a form of comfort so Natsu relatively keeps his distance. She sniffs and looks at him with red rimmed eyes.

"Is it still ripped?" He snorts at the question and assumes that is what concerns her the most. But his short laugh just makes Lucy's stressed face become tighter with worry.

"Luce, you don't need to worry 'bout that." He says with another short laugh before turning to go back to the guild. As he steps forward, a light tug is the only warning he gets before the scarf is carefully pulled from his neck. The cool breeze hits him in few ways it had done before and Natsu clenches his jaw to force himself to not immediately turn on his family.

Slowly, he turns to face them and sees the scaled material cradled in Erza's palms. She's careful with it and the pinkette is thankful for that. He should have expected the thief to be Erza, although he would have accepted Lucy as well.

She runs her gauntlet along the blackened and torn material, stitched together not quite sloppily, but they can tell the person wasn't entirely sure how to do it with such a unique material. It isn't the same. Mira and Lucy peer over her shoulders and the four males try to seem uninterested but they sneak peaks of their own.

"Why is it black?" Erza asks and the look she sends Natsu means business. He can't get out of this interrogation so easily.

"I don't know. Erigor knew what he was doing, I guess." The pinkette says with a shrug before clasping his hands behind his head in either a show of comfort or discomfort with the situation. When Natsu raises his arms, Gray notices a new scar that starts at the base of the slayers neck and disappears into his shirt. The ice mage doesn't say anything but he makes eye contact with Gajeel and knows they are thinking the same thing.

That scar doesn't look good. And it doesn't match with the story.

Sting and Rogue watch the group from afar. Rogue tries to comfort his close friend but Sting hardly notices through his guilt.

He hadn't seen a reaction like this to something he had always been told was a small thing - that was how Natsu had decided to comfort him and the guild apparently just went along with it out of respect. But then again, they had only told him that _after _the incident. He trusted the guild members, but this genuine reaction means that he was right all along.

This scarf never changed in importance and has always been a large part of Natsu's heart. And this is his fault.

"I'm sorry, Master." Sting speaks up and they all look at him. Natsu crosses his arms and looks down at Sting. His response is typically between _it's not your fault _or _don't worry about it_. Both of which do nothing to calm the storm of guilt in the young slayer's heart.

Natsu purses his lips and screws up his face in thought. After a heavy exhale through his nose, Sting knows what he's going to hear and braces himself for the familiar words. But Natsu just shakes his head and a small smile graces his lips.

"You're acting like Igneel died with the scarf, Sting." Sting blinks for a moment, confused at the new response and a blush spreads across his cheeks in embarrassment. The entire group is just silently staring at him and Sting feels like a child in front of his old role models. "It's just a scarf." He says and walks towards Erza before putting his hand out. She hesitates for a moment before finally giving the male back his signature item. He wraps it securely around his neck and turns back to Sting. "I keep it as bait now." He admits and Gray narrows his eyes at the pinkette.

"Bait?" The ice mage bites. There's no way in hell that's true. He had taken it from the slayer when they were children, and all Gray had done was fake blow his nose with it.

He had yet to believe Natsu was raised by a dragon. He thought the scarf was for show.

He will never admit Natsu ever beat him in a fight, but after that stunt Gray had never touched the scarf again. Between the beating he got and the lost boy's mental breakdown, Gray fully came to understand the scarf's importance.

There's no way it became less valuable over the years. No. Way.

"When dark guilds target me, they target my scarf." Natsu rolls his eyes at that as if it were a joke they're all supposed to join in on.

"Bullshit." Gajeel snarls and Natsu turns to the other slayer. Before Natsu can retort, a voice calls him from down the street.

"Natsu-kun!" Is that you? An older woman asks and the group peers around Natsu to see the small lady.

"Marie-san!" He sends her a bright smile and seems to completely ignore the group for a moment. She's just an adorable old lady with a nice clean bun that she somehow balances on her head even though it's the size of a bowling ball.

"Just Marie is fine." She scolds him but her exasperated tone gives away the fact that her words are falling on deaf ears as they have many times before. "Come here." He bends down slightly but she swiftly taps him on the head with her small cane. It isn't a harsh attack, but Natsu purses his lips in slight pain and confusion.

"Ow."

"Matches my new rosy pink apron." The tease is clear and the group chuckles at the guild master's plight.

"You got a salmon apron? That's odd." They both then smile at each other and Marie taps his side with her cane.

"Move, move, I want to see your friends." He obeys her with a chuckle and she gets a sparkle in her eyes upon seeing them. "I'm Marie, and you are?"

"They're some of the Tenrou group." Natsu responds for them and she immediately sends him a small glare.

"Aki won't be happy." Natsu then sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

"I know." He says with a sigh and steps out of the conversation as Erza steps in.

"Hello, Marie-san, I am Erza Scarlet."

"Oh, I know who you are, dear."

"You do?" The scarlet mage asks in slight concern. She would recognize this woman had they met before.

"I've lived in Magnolia for quite some time. You stopped this rascal from burning my bushes once." The kind smile on her face sends Erza a nice grandmotherly feeling. "And you're Gray. My, how much you've grown," she says as she slightly hobbles over to the ice mage. "I hope you're still clear headed."

"Of course." He immediately responds and she laughs at him before turning to Laxus.

"You weren't a troublemaker. You're Ivan's son, right? Luke?" Laxus sighs at the older woman before nodding.

"Laxus." He says gruffly and the old woman laughs.

"I'm glad that you have matured, Laxus dear." She says and the lightning mage has a feeling that she knew his name all along. That would explain her relating him to Ivan rather than his grandfather. "Come, come, I'm sure Aki would love to see you." She says and continues through the group and down the street. Natsu fidgets for a moment before sighing and following after her. He begins to converse with the old woman and the group hesitantly follows after.

"I'm going back." Laxus says and turns to the guild. After a moment, Gajeel does the same. They all watch the duo branch off, not too surprised by the development. Mira flicks her eyes to her anxious brother before nudging his arm.

"We should finish packing." He says and Mira sends him an understanding smile before turning towards their home. The group looks to Natsu and sees he had hardly watched the interaction, far more interested in his conversation with the old woman.

**A/N: Oh look how much longer these are!**

**Okay, anyone else get confused with Legacy Story Stats? Like, for example, there may be 20 views on chapter 10, and then 40 on chapter 11. Who jumped chapter 10? Why would you do that? Was it a waste of time? Did they just assume nothing important happened? Am I just stupid?**

**Well, thank you all so very much! I don't know if I've said this, but you all are the pack I always return to. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Til next time, see ya!**


	4. The Boy

**Chapter Four: The Boy**

**A/N: Let's GO!**

They reach the old woman's house faster than they had expected; she lives really close to where they had started from. But the walk lasts long enough for them to question why they are _all _following the duo. When they reach the door, Natsu goes ahead of the old woman, shocking the group. But then he pulls a key out of his right glove and inserts it in the door. They all just stare, jaw dropped as he unlocks this stranger's door and opens it for her.

"Why does he have a key?" Gray whispers and Erza just purses her lips before shaking her head. Obviously, the duo are close as Marie hardly reacts to the pinkette, opting to chuckle at him before heading inside.

Immediately, they can smell the chemicals of the house. It hits them like a brick wall, almost as if a magical barrier were at the door, and Happy places a paw on his mouth to prevent rude gagging. Lucy takes a moment for the foreign chemicals to burn her nose, _It's not all from cleaning_. After all, she has almost too much experience in cleaning, especially after Natsu's messes all those years ago (she still finds the oddest things in the most random of places.)

Natsu looks to the group for a moment before turning his gaze to Marie. She sees the clear confliction in his eyes and sends him an understanding smile.

"Right this way, I want to personally meet you all!" She guides them to the right and into the living room while Natsu disappears up the stairs. "Seems we lost some people." She gives them a pointed look but lets it slide. "Sit down, would you like anything to drink?"

"Water would be great. Thank you." Lucy asks and only then does Marie take notice of her slightly red-rimmed eyes. Of course she needs water, and Marie decides she'll put a little salt in the water to really help the girl out. "Sting, Rogue, want anything to eat?" They both decline and with a knowing smile she heads into the kitchen. When she comes back, she has enough glasses of water for them all, alongside something white and black for Sting and Rogue respectively. If they hadn't thought of her as the grandmother type before, this solidified it.

"So you met Natsu after Gratendo, I'm guessing." Marie eyes Lucy for a moment before sending the blonde a small smile.

"Yes, dear, we did."

"We?" Gray immediately echos and Marie chuckles lightly.

"Oh, that idiot didn't tell you? Of course not."

"He wouldn't tell us he was _blind _unless he had to." Happy chirps up, finally seeming more on the _happy _side. They all laugh lightly at him and Marie chuckles at the small cat.

"_What!_" A feminine screech comes from up the stairs and they all jump. "Well! Let's go!"

"Aki, you can't-" Natsu's words come out in an amused laugh.

"I can and I will!"

"Aki, what-" The voices quiet down and everyone turns to the few people not absolutely bewildered.

"Who's that?" Erza demands from Sting.

"Is that the 'we'?" Lucy adds and Marie nods.

"Yes. Aki, my granddaughter." She nods and Sting eyes her for a moment, aware of her shyness in continuing. She isn't a shy person, but when it comes to her granddaughter, it's a different story. A different fact of life she has to face. A fact she never believed she would ever have to prepare herself for.

"They met when Gratendo attacked." Sting admits and Marie sends him a reassuring glance, it does its job and he relaxes slightly. "He… she got hurt. Natsu and her are the only ones who got cursed by Gratendo."

"Cursed?" Gray jumps, quickly recalling Deliora once more.

"Natsu's cursed?" Mira questions, more familiar with demon's than anyone else in the room.

"Yes." Marie states. "For Aki, it's an… an illness." She chokes out and they don't need any clarification.

"And for Natsu?" Lucy asks as she comforts Happy against her chest. They're both worried for him, all worried for him, and the need to know is clear in their eyes. "He doesn't seem sick."

"No, it's different. For him, it's his hand."

"His hand?"

"UP!" Aki almost squeals from upstairs and they all still as a door is slammed - _kicked? _\- open.

"Dear Mavis, fine!" Natsu fakes gruffness. Heavy steps come from upstairs and are slow coming down. "You're heavy!"

"And you're a liar." The voices get louder and they all hear the last step. In a swift turn, Natsu's around the corner of the staircase and spots the group.

In his arms is a woman. She's small and seems frail beneath the thick blanket wrapped around her. Her arms lay out of the blanket in her lap, skin almost translucent with blue veins so vibrant they seem to be drawn on. They are all shocked to see Natsu's scarf tied deftly around her head to hold brown hair out of her face.

"Hey guys. This is Aki." Natsu says casually and she energetically waves a hand at the small group.

"Oh! Is that Happy?" She reaches a hand out and Happy is quick to leap towards her, pulling his wings out so he hovers within her reach.

"Aye Sir!"

"She's not a 'sir'." Lucy scolds but Aki just laughs.

"Natsu's stories don't do you justice." She compliments the exceed and Happy puffs up in pride.

"I'm pretty great." She scratches behind his ear in a way she knows he likes and he can't help but purr beneath her touch. His wings flicker for a moment as he's so in bliss he loses focus.

"Happy!" Natsu lightly barks in time for Happy to not fall on his face.

"Oops, sorry!" He glides to the floor and looks up in embarrassment.

"Oh it's alright. I used your weakness against you." She winks at the cat before looking to the rest of the group. "And your team. What an honor to properly meet you, Titania."

"Call me Erza." She greets with a nod.

"And Lucy, I apologize in Natsu's stead. I have a feeling he hasn't gotten to that. He caused you _too _much trouble."

"You probably don't know the _half _of it." And the two girls laugh much to the pinkettes' plight.

"And of course, that means you're Gray." The ice mage just nods and she flicks her eyes to Natsu. "I'm sure his stories of you also don't do you justice."

"That knucklehead? 'Course not." And again the group laughs and Natsu even joins in.

"So, you're..." She eyes Mira who stands there patiently, understanding that the woman wants to get the names right on the first go. "Lis - no, your hair's long. Mirajane? Where are your siblings?" Mira laughs lightly and gives Natsu a knowing look.

"Did you tell her everything? Should I be worried?"

"What is there to be worried about?" Natsu asks innocently but Mira just looks to Aki.

"No worries, Mira. Can I call you Mira?"

"So long as I can call you Aki." And the group can feel a strong bond form with this addition to their family. Although she isn't a Fairy Tail mage, they have a feeling that she's still family.

"You got them all." Sting gives a nod of approval and she turns her eyes to him.

"Well, they're not all here, I got lucky." She then raises a brow at the bow but as her mouth opens Natsu interrupts her.

"Would you like a chair, Aki?"

"Are you getting tired, big ol' dragon?" She teases but he just shakes his head and heads for the empty chair.

"I'm not old…" He pouts before plopping in the chair and propping Aki to more of a sitting position. Of course, she helps him, not entirely helpless. The group sees how she seems to melt in Natsu's frame, a hand resting on his chest and her cheek lightly pressed against his shoulder. His arm is lazily yet protectively wrapped around her, enough to give her space but keep her from falling.

"So, Sting, Rogue, I hear you're still causing a lot of trouble." She eyes him and the glare is terrifying yet familiar to the group. Yeah, she fits perfectly in their family.

"Hop off them, Aki."

"No. You have enough to deal with as it is. You're just a big pushover, admit it."

"Eh?"

"Don't act dumb." She shakes her head at them. And although the small group feels slightly excluded by the interaction, they don't really mind. In fact, they like it. It tells them more about Natsu and they want to learn everything they can about the man Natsu has become. They have to catch up on seven years of change, after all.

"If it really becomes an issue, I'll deal with it. So lay off them."

"Ah, fine. For _now_. But next time I won't be so lenient." And the glint in her eye is enough to send shivers down their spines.

"Should we leave you two alone?" Gray says and crosses his arms, although there's no malice in his tone. For a moment, the majority of the group almost laughs but they get a feel for the room and pause. Natsu and Aki don't have their typical glint in their eyes. Aki's eyes which moments before had been a bright hazel seem to dull into murky brown. Sting's hands are clenched so tightly his knuckles are bleached white. Marie seems to be forcing herself with a tight smile, making eye contact with Sting and Rogue more than anyone else.

Gray isn't sure what he did, but he regrets each word that came from his mouth.

"Sorry to make you feel left out." Aki says with half of a smile. The entire moment lasted seconds, but for mages every second counts, and they are too perceptive to brush it off as them just thinking of a response. But, seeing the two now, Aki no longer seems to melt into the pinkette, her form stiffer. Natsu's hold is far less comfortable, also stiff as if it were a mechanical action he was doing because he needs to rather than wants to. The hard look in his eye doesn't really leave until they are halfway back to the guild.

The rest of the conversation flowed easily, but the mages were quick to find lines they had to tiptoe around. Gratendo was an obvious one, and when Mira tested the waters lightly just to make sure, she immediately felt bad. The anxiety that showed on Aki's face proved to them all that it had been too traumatic of a thing to so casually bring up.

Of course, Gray didn't need anyone telling him that. He still gets heated over Deliora.

"Wendy should look at your scarf." Mira states and the topic is random enough to confuse the group.

"Eh? Wendy? What -"

"HELP!" The sharp cry causes all the mages to go on alert. Natsu flicks his nose in the air to try and find a scent of malice, but all he gets is overwhelming fear. They quickly find the child and their hearts break at the fact that it's a _child_. Immediately they drop their guard.

The grief stricken kid blindly runs straight for the group, his goal clearly being to just keep going - probably until he reaches the guild. However, they can easily see the way he stumbles every now and then and struggles to recover. His tattered clothing and bruises tell the group all they need to know.

Natsu is quick to intercept the kid, gently plopping down in front of him with his arms open. The kid hardly notices but he flicks his head up perhaps a foot away from Natsu. When he sees the pinkette and his kind eyes, the kid's tears begin falling - _again, they realize_ \- and he collapses in the guild master's arms.

"Whoa there." Natsu's voice comes out, calm and soothingly. Natsu cradles the child in his arms and runs a hand through raven hair to get a better look as his young face. His dark complexion almost accents how exhausted and tired the child is, with deep bags under his eyes and cheeks slightly reddened by self-induced fever. He must have been running non-stop. The boy's eyes are unfocused, his mouth shaping words yet nothing comes out.

"Is he alright?" Mira asks softly as she goes to Natsu's height and checks the child for any injury. Other than for the small scrapes, there's nothing to cause great alarm.

"Hel… help..." He croaks and chokes on air.

"Let's take him to the guild." Natsu says and slowly stands. "Happy, go ahead of us. Can you prep a bed?"

"Aye sir!" And in a moment his wings are out and he's gone. Natsu moves his hand off the boy's head but in an instant the child, who up to that point had hardly been lucid, snaps his hand out and grabs Natsu's left hand.

"Dem… guil… help. Help. Help!" The kids gasps as if suddenly coming to. He jolts and his grip on Natsu's hand becomes stronger. "Demon. Demon! Dad! Where's my Dad!" The kid begins shouting and Natsu struggles to keep hold of the suddenly aware child. He's hyperventilating and Natsu looks to Sting while trying to hide a wince.

Silently but swiftly, Sting takes the child from Natsu and places the child on the ground. Natsu keeps an eye on the kid while cradling his left hand, an action the group hardly cares to notice.

"Breathe." Lucy softly commands as she places a soothing hand on the kids back. Gray is right there with her, both trying to calm the boy enough to get some answers.

As the kid calms down, Natsu watches for a moment before swiftly turning and going to the guild.

"Natsu?" Erza calls after but he hardly turns to look at her.

"I'm - I'll help Happy." Erza creases her brow at his stutter but doesn't mention it.

"Hey, honey, I'm Mira. Can you say that? Mira? Listen to the sound of my voice. Mira. Okay?"

"Hel… Mir… Mi. Mira." He stutters and Mira cups the child's face in her hands.

"Mira, yes, Mira."

"Mira. Mira. Mira. Mira, help."

"Let's take you somewhere safe. Then we can help you, okay?" Lucy adds.

"We'll protect you, don't worry." Gray states and Sting turns to Rogue.

"Maybe we should get Porlyusica." Rogue just silently nods before leaving the group. They're better at dealing with people than himself.

"Let's go." Erza commands and Sting scoops the child in his arms. At first, he squirms for a moment but Mira steps right up beside Sting.

"Shh. Hun, it's okay. You're safe."

"Dem… demon." He gasps, emerald eyes kept wide with fear. "Help… my..." He starts to hyperventilate again but Mira keeps him calm. The group walks slowly, Erza at the head with Lucy and Gray keeping an eye on anyone that may approach. They reach the near empty guild hall and all the guild members are on high alert.

"What happened?" Laxus asks gruffly but they can see a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Is he here?" Wendy calls from the infirmary. Natsu then walks out of the infirmary and sees the group.

"Did he say something?" The group heads to the pinkette and Lucy shakes her head.

"Something about a demon." They watch Sting lay the kid on the bed. Immediately Wendy starts up her magic and Mira goes across from her and takes the kid's hand.

"A demon?" Natsu echoes immediately and leans towards the child. He sniffs the boy, an action familiar to the group. He stays for a moment longer before swiftly turning on his heel and leaving the infirmary. Sting is quick to follow then the rest of the group. "A demon. Goddammit. The council didn't say anything." He growls with a hand running through his hair.

The shake of his left hand is hardly noticeable but to a select few.

"Natsu-"

"I'm fine, Sting." He snaps but then sighs before sitting at the bar. "Sorry. I'm fine. If there's a demon out, we gotta… gotta stop it. Lucy, can you and Mira figure out where he's from?" Lucy eyes Sting for a moment before nodding.

"Of course."

"Shit." He sighs and places a hand on his forehead.

"I need. It should be… Zagnois." He then nods. "Laxus, go get the smell of that demon in your nose."

"What?" The dragon slayer sneers but Natsu just raises his brow at his fellow mage.

"You're gonna help me. Go smell it." Laxus glares for a moment before sighing and following Lucy to the infirmary. The guild doors then open as Rogue enters followed by Porlyusica.

"Humans, what do you want now?" She growls and Natsu is quick to stand and go towards her.

"A kid saw a demon. Can you see if he was cursed?" Porlyusica then sighs, grumbles about humans once more, but silently obeys. "Rogue, can you grab my com lacrima?"

"Of course." And Rogue disappears only to reappear in shadow a moment later. Then Erza sees the shake of his hand as he takes the lacrima.

"Natsu you should-" He ignores her as he places the lacrima on a table and puts his magic into it. It glows dimly for a moment before flashing brightly.

"_Natsu? What -_" A feminine voice groggily responds but Natsu has none of it.

"There's been another attack."

"_Attack, what-_"

"A demon, dammit, a _demon _attack. Can you find it?"

"_Shit, a demon? We'll get right on it._" And as the lacrima light fades Natsu collapses into a chair.

"Salamander, what the hell. Calm down."

"I'm _calm_." He states in a half growl. Rogue silently places a bottle in front of the pinkette and Natsu eyes it for a moment. Sting then places a glass of water beside the bottle. He takes a deep breath and shakily grabs the bottle. He places his left hand on the cap but fails to get a substantial grip on it. It's a pitiful sight and the majority of the group just sits in confusion as Sting silently takes the bottle and opens it for him. "Thanks." He says softly before pouring three pills into his hand.

Still shaking, he pops the pills in his mouth and washes them down with the water.

"Natsu, are you alright?"

"'M fine."

"And I'm Rogue." Sting snaps but wilts under Natsu's glare.

"His name's Rokem." Lucy calls as she leaves the infirmary, Laxus once more on her tail.

"That smells disgusting." He scowls but he isn't angry. After having seen the boy, he knows how serious it must be.

"His name's Rokem O'Conner, he's from Belgin."

"Belgin?" Natsu echos and taps his fingers on the table. "That's not too far. How'd Rokem get here? Did he hitchhike?"

"He said he's a mage." At that Natsu nods, aware of how magic protects its user. It must have aided the kid in coming to Magnolia.

"How is he?"

"He'll be fine."

"Did he get cursed?" At that Lucy silently nods and Natsu leans over, placing his head in his hands. "Damn..."

"Are you okay?" Erza asks as she takes a seat at the table, the others slowly following after.

"I'm fine. We need to-"

"Belgin's in the middle of nowhere. That demon isn't getting anywhere soon. Rokem said it fell asleep."

"That doesn't matter." He shakes his head at the blond and crosses his hands on the table. "It uses lightning, Laxus. It's not a smart demon, so the two of us should be fine."

"_Natsu!_" Erza growls and he snaps his head up to look at her.

"What?"

"You're shaking." He looks to his hands and cracks a crooked grin.

"Yeah." He then looks to the still standing Laxus. "Finish packing for the games. We leave-"

"Tomorrow. You aren't going today." Porlyusica then says and Sting heaves a big sigh of relief. He doesn't want to fight Natsu if he can help it. Because he would have lost, and it's a fight they can't afford to lose. But Porlyusica, on the other hand, never loses.

"Porlyusica, is he-"

"He'll be fine. You, on the other hand, need to rest. That demon isn't going anywhere."

"But-"

"No buts, you stupid human. He needs to take this medicine." She places the bottle on the table and her eyes land on the similar bottle already opened. "Do you need a refill."

"Maybe soon." She nods and closes her large bag.

"It impacts his dreams. This medicine should keep him from dreaming, but there's no guarantee with demons."

"What would we do without you." He says with a small smile and she just raises a brow at him.

"Probably be less reckless." Natsu can't help but laugh while Porlyusica just scoffs and takes her leave.

"Thank you."

"Humans." And she's gone.

"What's your curse?" Erza asks, straightforward as always. Natsu laughs and slowly screws the cap back on the open bottle, his left hand no longer shaking as badly.

"Who said I was cursed?"

"Marie." Gray jumps in and Natsu flicks his eyes to the male.

"Well it's not important." He licks his lips and looks at Sting. They have a silent conversation the others try to read.

"You've always been like this." Gray scowls and rolls his eyes. "Keeping your secrets and pretending everything's fine. Just spit it out already." After a moment, Natsu pouts and leans back in his chair.

"You're gonna blackmail me, aren't ya." The knowing look in Gray's eyes tells Natsu all he needs to know. "Fine, fine. It's just 're acting like it's such a big deal."

"Just pain? You got all snappy with us and couldn't even open a bottle."

"Still just pain." He waves a hand while Sting crosses his arms and rolls his eyes. "And apparently I'm not the only one being snappy." Sting pouts in response.

"He's fast asleep now." Mira calls as she enters the room. There's a general feeling of relief when they hear that, glad that the child will be alright.

"You guys can sleep at the guild. I paid your rent, but I don't know the state of your homes." He states sheepishly and reaches to grab the bottle from the table.

"Oh my Mavis you paid my rent? Thank you! Thank you so much!" Lucy cries out and reaches to hold Natsu's hand in her own, unsure of how to properly show her gratitude. She gives a small squeeze and sends him a genuine smile. "You really didn't have to. Thank you so much!" Natsu hardly responds, frozen stiff as he forces a smile across his face.

"It, ahem. It was the _least _I could do." He clears his throat and gives a heavy exhale. "I'm, I'm gonna prepare for tomorrow." His tongue darts out to lick his lips and he finds himself blinking more than necessary. The sudden tension in his body is caught by everyone and Lucy slowly lets go of his hand, unsure of what exactly had happened. "See ya tomorrow." And when Lucy's hand is far enough away from him, he vanishes in a swirl of fire and a crackle of lightning.

"Sorry?" Lucy whispers to the strands of smoke that float through the air.

"That's the curse." Rogue states and they all turn to the typically silent man.

"What?"

"It's his left hand." Sting then adds and they look at the two dragon slayers, clearly expecting an explanation. "Gratendo's fire burnt his left hand. And he's cursed to always feel that pain. That medicine helps a little, but it's an unhealable open wound. We haven't found a way to close it."

"Open? So he just feels the pain as if it were an open wound?" Mira asks, and again Sting wants to sigh but bites it back.

"No. It's literally an open wound. Like Aki's illness, it can't be healed."

"But then, what, it always bleeds? How can he do anything with his hand?"

"He can't." Rogue states. "He forces himself to. He says he's used to it, but no one really believes him."

"So I just." Lucy stops and looks to her own hands. "Where'd he go?"

"His office. Probably."

"I should-" She sharply stands and Erza follows right after.

"There's no point." Sting says with a sigh and takes Natsu's old seat. He sits heavily, clearly tired from more than just the events of the day. "We just do what we can when he let's us."

"You gave up on him?" Gray asks and Sting jolts at the accusation.

"Hell no!" He growls defensively. "No. Never. The only thing we can really do now is find a permanent solution." He states. "You know how stubborn he was. Trust me, it's worse now."

"Of course it is, that bastard." Gajeel says from the bar. He takes a swig of his drink before placing the empty glass back down. "Well, I'm goin ta bed. Keep it down down here." And with that he lumbers up the stairs to the infirmary. When he reaches the room, he spots Rokem covered in bandages and smelling like a mix between dark magic and Juvia in an odd way. "What world did we come in to?"

In the guild hall, Rogue, Mira, and Lucy get to cleaning up the small mess they had made. The others work on fixing up the room itself, which isn't all too messy except for the odd misplaced chair.

"So tomorrow I just gotta watch out for his hand?" Laxus says as he hands Mira an empty bottle.

"Basically." Rogue responds as he takes said bottle. "And be careful with cursed attacks."

"And how the fuck am I supposed to know what a cursed attack is?"

"It feels different." The shadow dragon slayer says and pauses for a moment, looking at the glass bottle rather than Laxus. "You can't help but feel dread. Like the attack will rip out your soul." Rogue then places the bottle under the counter. "Don't worry, Master will warn you."

Slowly, the group heads to the infirmary and say their farewells to Mira, Sting and Rogue who opt to head to their own homes.

Later in the night, a scream comes from nowhere.

"_Stop! Help. Dad! Please, don't - don't!_" The words come out between choked sobs and tortured gasps, but before anyone else in the room can reach the bed, a puff of fire is their only warning before Natsu is sitting on the bed. "Dad - _Dad_."

"Rokem. It's not real. Just breathe." He helps the boy to sit up and whispers comforting words - he hopes they're comforting at least.

"Help them, help-"

"Hey, I'm Natsu. And I'll help, I promise."

"Natsu?" He whispers, voice hoarse and eyes blurred with tears. "Natsu? As in, I made it?"

"You made it." The child launches into Natsu's lap suddenly, crying in earnest as he wraps his arms around the larger man.

"Oh - the demon, _that demon_, Master Natsu Dragneel, please -"

"Just Natsu is fine. Please, breathe. Just breathe. Everything'll be alright."

"But he's still here. How is he still here if I'm at Fairy Tail?" He cries out, sad tears coming once more into his eyes. Natsu takes hardly a moment to recall what Porlyusica had said.

"He won't come here. I won't let him." But Natsu knows that won't stop the dreams. He knows full well that nothing stops a curse. It's like a demon's gift for surviving the encounter. A cruel thing, really. "You know me. That's why you came here. Do you trust me?"

"But-" Natsu holds the kid tightly and draws circles on the child's back.

"Here. I'll sleep with you tonight. I'll keep it away." And the exhaustion is quick to catch up to the kid. It seems the physical exhaustion reverts him to a child unable to stay awake after a good cry. He falls asleep before his head hits the pillow. Natsu lays the kid down gently and places a hand on his head. He creases his brow in thought for a moment. "Sleep, sleep..." And when the kid starts to tremble as a nightmare takes shape, Natsu is quick to calm him and draw the nightmare away.

The rest of the group falls asleep some time later, deciding it would be better to let the duo sleep than interrupt with any questions or attempts at being helpful.

**A/N: I like this better. Perhaps too wordy but not as wordy as before, that's for sure. Wrote this while watching **_**The **__**Twilight Zone**_**. Don't know why.**


	5. Zagnois

**Chapter Five: Zagnois**

**A/N: Jeez, this was like chapter TEN with the last one. What was I thinking? Oh well, let's GO!**

The next morning, Natsu slips off the bed and silently leaves the infirmary. When he reaches the main hall, Laxus is already there waiting for him. His bags are resting on the far side of the bar and Natsu is glad he doesn't have to explain how they _won't _need them.

Then they head out, shoulder to shoulder, and in a flash of lightning they begin their trek, cracking between spurts and scaring a few civilians as they go.

Not too long after, the sun rises higher in the sky and the mages in the infirmary wake up. There are few grumbles about the dragon slayer absences but most work on getting prepared. Some were even convinced to leave, all but Natsu's old team and the ever-faithful dragon duo left.

It's strange how tied to the hip they are with both each other and Natsu himself.

"When will they be back? A few days?" Lucy openly ponders between well-loved pages. She had long been packed with the help of her adoring spirits (read: mostly Virgo who was intent on getting a 'reward.' _She did not_.)

"They better _not _take a few days. We have a train we agreed to catch." Erza nearly thunders in the empty hall and Lucy would almost believe her. If it weren't for the fact that the woman had nearly paced a hole into the wood in clear worry. _Perhaps_, the others thought with a clear sweatdrop, _she should have told Natsu about the train_.

"Erza, sit down, you'll bring the hall down at this rate."

"Oh," she finally pauses and they all pale to see she has _indeed_ left a light imprint, "my apologies. I will tell Master promptly."

"Master Natsu won't care. It adds 'character.'" Sting says with a sagely nod. Erza seems to pause once more before offering a mechanical nod.

"Right. Yes, Natsu would not care."

_Oh right_, both Sting and Rogue notice as they see the tension in the other mage's bodies. It doesn't last too long.

"We're back!" They all jump at the new voice and turn to see their saving grace: Rokem and Mira. He rests on her hip, smile small but almost as bright as a certain pinkettes.

"Mira, Rokem, we thought you left!" Lucy almost cheers at the sight and in a moment her hand is on Rokems soft curls. He leans into her touch and they bask in the warmth of his cracking innocence.

"No, we just went shopping." Mira laughs and they all join in, allowing for Rokem to as well.

And for that sweet, tender moment, the joys of life outweigh the sorrows and the light at the end of the tunnel is so much closer than before.

They spend most of the day like that, huddled around Rokem or tending to their own issues. Sting and Rogue set about locking everything up. Natsu would always forget something, but the two of them could always be trusted, so often Natsu would leave it to them. He _used _to leave it to Macao and Wakaba, but they began rubbing in how _they'd _be a better Guild Master, seeing as Natsu can't even handle the smallest task. They were joking, of course, but when Sting and Rogue heard, they refused to permit the help of those two old men again.

It was almost comical how they stole the job, really.

The soft _purr _of a lacrima calls their attention. Lucy is the one closest and so pulls it out from behind the bar. In a moment, the hologram of Natsu can be seen with Laxus resting in the background.

"_Ah, Luce! Perfect!_" he calls into it and turns back to deal with Laxus' grumbling.

"Are you okay?" She asks and soon they've crowded around the lacrima. Natsu laughs at all the smushed faces and waves at them.

"_Yes, we're fine, calm down. Zagnois is gone._" He doesn't direct the statement to Rokem but they all feel the boy relax.

"He is?" The question almost doesn't pass through the lacrima, but the small words still reach Natsu's ears. That, or he watched the question pass across the boys face. Either way, Natsu's face softens and he offers a small smile.

"_Yes, Rokem. He's gone. And you can thank _that _grumpy dragon slayer._" Natsu prods at Laxus and the other man just huffs but doesn't move. He does, however, catch the beaming smile Rokem sends his way and offers little more than a lazy wave. "_Anyway, Luce -_"

"We have a train to catch, I expect you will be here in time?" Erza says and the gleam in her eye means business.

"_Oh, um… How about me and Laxus meet you guys there?_" He isn't going to mention how he did _not _in fact know about the train, and his response seems to make Erza pause for a moment.

"Very well." And she's off, probably to finish up some packing.

"_Anyway, Luce,_" he pauses, half expecting another interruption, "_I forgot to give you something before I left._" Sting and Rogue shift enough for Lucy to understand that they too know what he's talking about.

"Okay?"

"_Could you head up to my office?_" He asks. At first, his timid tone confuses her, but then the memories rush. Last night, which seems so far away. When he had been in too much pain he practically ran away from them all, and to his office. Silently, she obeys and heads up the stairs, lacrima in hand. The others watch her for a moment but no one dares to follow.

She's familiar with the path, but it's odd to think she isn't going to Makarov's domain.

Walking up a faint trace of smoke enters her nose. It's a smell she's more than familiar with and it aids her in finding the office. The scent strengthens the closer she gets to the office, and as she gets to the door, she opens it a crack. On the lacrima, Natsu stays silent. She's the smartest person he knows, _and_, he smiles although Lucy doesn't see it, _she was my best friend_. The past tense hurts but not for too long.

The cold and hot temperatures hit her at the same time. Lucy slips in the room and leans on the door to close it, her eyes wide. Looking around she sees evidence of Natsu's release from last-nights damages to his left hand.

Scorch marks litter the desk and floor, the light pen thrown onto the ground carelessly. Evidence of ice and frost are also found on the walls and desk, confusing Lucy to some extent but not enough to ask. Not _yet_.

"_Oh yeah, sorry._"

"Don't be." She doesn't admonish him. He had never been one to consistently clean up after himself, and this should be no exception. "Natsu-"

"_Look in the closet._" He means to cut her off. She let's him and heads to the wooden wardrobe behind his desk. It hardly counts as a closet, but she lets it slide. Instead, she sets the lacrima on the desk and places her hands on the doors.

Opening it up, she's forced to jump back as presents fall toward her. They're all manner of shapes and sizes, some with clear birthday wrapping while others are beautifully intricate.

There are seven.

Natsu's voice drifts in the background and vaguely Lucy hears how they're _from your father_. She sits, not daring to touch the wrapping paper, not yet.

"_He would come in person each year on your birthday._"

Lucy drops to her knees and heavy tears roll down her face. She tries to stop them from dampening the paper below her but everything's just too blurry. She chokes on a sob, eyes burning and cheeks flushed, she would be embarrassed if it were anyone other than Natsu.

"_He loved you, you know._"

She lightly sweeps her hand over the presents, words falling from her lips although she hardly pays attention to what she says.

Natsu doesn't tell her about how he would visit Fairy Tail more often than necessary, always came to them for jobs, no matter how small. Always asked if, perhaps, his daughter would return in less than seven years. Natsu wished he could have shortened it for him, if only so that changed man could have seen his daughter one last time.

"I… was he happy?" The words sound garbled and she tries to wipe everything off her face to no avail.

"_He was. I… I'm sorry we couldn't keep him alive long enough for you to see him._"

"Don't be sorry." She says in a choked laugh that's too close to a sob. "But, that's not why I came here." She knew her father had been dead, knew he was a changed man, although the presents allowed those emotions to wash over once more, she was strong. She could stand and do what she needed, regardless of her father's presence. She wipes her face a few times, rubbing it raw in her need to be presentable for a moment. "I'm just glad he was happy."

"_He was._" He says and watches as her gaze sweeps across his mess of an office once more. He's sure she spotted the ice, he's sure she's seen everything that is a clue to something. But she doesn't ask those questions.

"I won't make you talk." She knows he's too stubborn for that, and for a moment she laughs, because some things really do never change. "But… you can if you want to. At any time." Her hard stare softens into a smile. "We will _all _be here for you, Natsu. Just, remember that, okay?" She doesn't stop. She refuses to, not until she _knows _that he has fully understood her. "I know it's been seven years for you, but it hasn't been for us. You're still my best friend."

They both wish this conversation were in person. Natsu is more of a touchy person, one who would have enveloped her in a hug and held her until she had finished crying. He would have grasped her hand and listened to her, nodding and smiling and trying to get her to laugh. Instead, he's stuck, just listening to her crying, and again he's stuck listening to her fight for him.

"_I know, Luce,_" and he _does_, he knows what she's saying so well it hurts, "and I will tell you everything. Someday. I swear it." On the other side of the lacrima, Lucy smiles at him, and he offers her his own smile. "See you in Crocus."

She laughs and her eyes once more flick to the presents.

"_Yeah, see you there._" He hangs up on her and turns to the eavesdropping Laxus.

"Just tell 'em."

"You don't even know what _it _is." Natsu doesn't growl, but Laxus is prodding at uncharted territory. The lightning slayer huffs before sitting up and eyeing the pinkette.

"You were never one to keep secrets."

Natsu doesn't respond at first, because he's _right_. He never did keep secrets, not unless he just _forgot _about something. And yet here he was, keeping everything buried under lock and key and not doing a good job at it _at all_, considering that everyone has noticed. Just that the only people who won't stop prodding him are back.

"You're right."

**-x-**

Finally on the train, in Erza's opinion, Team Natsu and Team Slayer sit across from each other, with Mira and Rokem in a separate cart. Lucy chose not to bring her father's presents and instead neatly piled them back into the wardrobe, more than content with opening them after the Games. When she's truly earned them.

She'll make her father proud.

"You're dragon slayers," Gray asks, although it was obvious with their motion sickness, "who're your dragons?" Rogue is the most composed of the two, but they both practically glare at Gray for asking such a question while on the death trap. Instead, Rogue motions to Frosch and Lector to respond. They gladly do.

"Rogue's dragon was Skiadrum!"

"Sting's dragon was Wesslogia. The strongest pair of dragons that ever lived!" They both boast and stand at each exclamation, something that immediately lightens the mood. "Maybe even stronger than Igneel?" Lector asks and both Sting and Rogue, even in their sorrowful states, shake their heads.

"No way! Igneel's the strongest!" Happy intervenes, cheeks puffed out. And while he would go toe to toe with most anyone, doing so with an exceed is far less terrifying.

"Frosch agrees. Igneel was the Fire Dragon _King_."

"But-" It's interesting to watch such an argument. Team Natsu is more used to more opposition, _no, my dragons stronger! No way, Metalicana was way more powerful. IGNEEL IS THE STRONGEST!_

"Frosch thinks that's why we joined Sabertooth. And Frosch didn't like that place, so Frosch thinks you're wrong." Lector pauses for a moment before pouting and sitting back down.

"Ah, you're right. But Skiadrum and Wesslogia were still strong!"

"Frosch agrees!" And the odd exceed sits too, both content in the discussion.

Team Natsu, however, is left flabbergasted.

"Sabertooth?" Lucy voices and Erza hops on that train.

"What is this Sabertooth? I have never heard of it before."

"Sabertooth is our old guild." Rogue half-moans out and allows the exceeds to pick up.

"Yup, but the Guild Master was _evil_."

"Yup yup!"

"That's not unheard of..." Gray comments, more than aware that Fairy Tail has always been something special.

"Sabertooth even won the first Grand Magic Games."

"Not Fairy Tail?"

"Nope, Fairy Tail got sixth. But that's okay, Frosch thinks, because Fairy Tail won all the rest thanks to Rogue."

"And Sting."

"And Master." Sting groans, his only contribution. "He's the - _blegh, I'm gonna, no. No, __never mind_ \- he's the reason we left Sabertooth after the - _urgh _\- the first Games." Team Natsu almost prods for the story, but they can fill in the blanks themselves, and they'd rather _not _sit through Frosch and Lector attempting to tell the tale.

They arrive in Crocus much to the Slayer's relief. As the train stops, Sting and Rogue spring to life. While Sting and Lector race off the train in Natsu-like fashion, Rogue takes his time. He pauses and turns to the old Team Natsu.

"We have to be at the Honey Bone Lodge at midnight. Any later and you can't participate in the Games. I'm going to find Sting." And then Rogue vanishes. Team Natsu shares some small talk as they get of the train but once they reach the streets they freeze. The streets are filled, crowds wild and overpopulated thanks to the Games.

"So this is Crocus." Gray says with his jaw dropped. Not too long after, Mira and Rokem have joined them. He's clearly afraid of all the people, and being so short doesn't help. So, without asking, Erza lifts him up. At first, he screeches but then calms as he's placed on those broad shoulders. His eyes sparkle and he can ignore the metal under his thighs, because he can _see _and it's beautiful.

"Hm, I assumed Master Natsu would have arrived with you." A cloaked figure, one they had failed to notice, is suddenly in front of them. His eyes are overshadowed and he seems like too much of a threat to ignore. They shift, Erza silently materializes a blade and Lucy slowly reaches for her keys, all of them prepared to battle and protect the hoards of people around them, somehow. "Do not be threatened," he says and lowers the hood to reveal an unfamiliar face, "I am Proxi." And they then spot the trace of the Fairy Tail mark on his neck. "S-Class mage, same as you, Titania. I know who you all are, so no need to bother." Although his eyes flick up to the child resting on Erza's shoulders. "Although I was unaware you had a child."

In typical Erza fashion, she immediately turns beet red and garbles out how the kid is _not _hers, she doesn't have a kid, why would she have a kid? Who would even be the father, what-

"Then… you must be a demon's child." That cold voice cuts through them and Rokem almost wilts under it. He mumbles a response into silky red hair and Proxi ruffles for a moment.

"Apologies. Master also saved myself. Mine was Vespire, and yourself?" He doesn't seem like the sort to be open, yet Proxi has no difficulty in talking about something so traumatizing. Rokem doesn't have the heart to respond, so Mira does for him.

"Zagnois."

"You must learn to speak up for yourself." He doesn't bother addressing Mira and keeps his gaze on the young boy. "What is your name?" The child offers a muffled response. "Speak up."

"Hey, no need to be rude." Gray bites but Rokem ignores the help.

"Rokem." The boy obeys, even though he's shaky and nervous because this man - Proxi - is more than terrifying, his eyes seem to pop out and glare them all down. Proxi stays silent for a moment before nodding.

"And what's your magic, Proxi?" Mira asks and they can feel the anger simmering underneath. He had been rude, and to a recently traumatized child no less.

"I see no reason why I should tell you." He then turns back to Rokem and ignores the angry mages. "Let's leave these competing mages to their devices. Would you like some ice cream, Rokem?" Team Natsu ruffles at the blatant disrespect and they almost fight the supposed Fairy Tail mage, but then shyly Rokem nods. His eyes are no longer filled with anxiety but rather with a level of respect, or admiration.

"Yes," he says and they all turn to look at him, "please?" Rokem would obey them if they argued, but for some odd reason this brash, rude mage has gained his trust.

Begrudgingly, Erza lowers Rokem from her shoulders. But she keeps a hold of his upper arm.

"And you are a Fairy Tail mage?" In response, he pulls down his color to show his mark in full. The deep purple pops out on his pale skin, and any member of Fairy Tail is their family.

"Let us know if you need us, Rokem." Lucy says softly but secretly she pushes Happy towards the boy. "And take Happy with you, he loves ice cream too!"

"But I-" Happy doesn't get through the thought as he receives the glare of four terrifying mages. "A-aye Sir!"

Happy sits on Rokem's head as the two leave, and all of them keep their eyes on Proxi until they vanish.

"I can't believe Natsu would let someone like _that _into Fairy Tail." Gray grumbles and no one disagrees.

"But we can trust him." Lucy says with a firm nod, although they are more than aware of backstabbers that have been in their midst before, they doubt Natsu would allow any sort of thing. Plus, Rokem _wanted _to go, and they weren't going to prevent him from getting ice cream.

**-x-**

Natsu and Laxus reach Crocus just in time. And while the pinkette sends Laxus to the Honey Bone Lodge, he wanders Crocus for some time. Soon, the maze has begun and he can only cackle at their plight. But, they'll be fine, he knows it. And so, he follows a familiar scent and comes across a small hedge garden. Inside, he spots Rokem sleeping with Happy as his pillow, also sleeping. Beside them, Proxi sits with an unwavering gaze on the two.

"Proxi," Natsu says softly, careful to not wake the two.

"I ran into your old friends today." Natsu has no doubt as to just who he met, seeing Happy and Rokem are with him now. With a sigh, Natsu sits beside Proxi.

"Were you nice?" Proxi's silence is all Natsu needs. "Well, that's okay. I can't imagine you fought them for Rokem. I think I would have heard about it by now." he admits and attempts at a laugh but Proxi doesn't join him. "Anyway, I think I found someone who can help with your magic."

"Oh? And who is that?"

"My old Guild Master, Makarov. He's pretty smart when he isn't chasing women." Again, a joke that doesn't quite catch. "Could… will you at least _try _and listen to him? He can really help you, I think. Better than I can, at least." Proxi looks back to the sleeping duo before sighing and turning his sharp gaze to Natsu.

"Yes, I'll try."

"Great. How'd your mission go?"

"It was a success." Natsu barks out a quiet laugh that turns into a soft snort, not the sort of thing he'd be proud of in any normal circumstance, but he doesn't mind. Not with these kids.

"Good," Natsu says before standing and moving to pick up Rokem and Happy. Proxi beats him to it and scoops the two up, careful to not wake them. Natsu doesn't comment on it and silently they head for the Honey Bone Lodge, ready for the next day. Ready for the Games to Begin.

**A/N: Hm, my last update was June 1st, so I don't think this is the longest I've done between updates. Although not the best, I can admit. But they're coming, I promise. School has begun, and college through Corona is… interesting, to say the least. We'll see when the next update happens. Maybe it'll be around Thanksgiving? Yeah, we'll try for that. Thank you all so so much! Til next time, see ya!**


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